A malfunction is a partial or total failure of a parachuting device to operate as intended. Malfunctions can range from annoying to life-threatening, depending on severity and on the type of equipment in which they occur. Parachute malfunctions may require a skydiver to cutaway his or her main parachute and deploy the reserve parachute.

Major Partial Parachute Malfunctions

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Line Over

This malfunction occurs when one or more of the canopy's lines pass in front of the nose prior to inflation. This causes the canopy to opren in a "Bow-tie" shape. The result is generally an uncontrolled spin. The correct procedure to clear the malfunction is to cut away although it is sometimes possible to clear the malfunction by collapsing the parachute and letting the line pass back into the right position.

Horseshoe

This malfunction occurs when the closing pin of a skydiving rig is released from the closing loop and allows the deployment bag to be released from the container. Because the pilot chute is still stowed, the malfunction appears in the shape of a horseshoe.

Procedures for Clearing a Horseshoe Malfunction

In order to clear a horseshoe malfunction, the skydiver must release the throw out pilot chute, thus clearing the malfunction. However, with the bag having been bounced around in random air, it has most likely spun and will either open in a bag lock, severe line twists or possibly a line over malfunction. These three malfunctions are cleared by pulling the cutaway handle, which releases the main canopy from the skydiver, followed by a pulling the reserve handle, which deploys the reserve canopy.

Two Canopies Out

This often occurs when a skydiver who is wearing an AAD pulls so low that the reserve parachute deploys at the same time as the main parachute.

Stable Biplane Configuration

Downplane / Pinwheel Configuration

Bag Lock

Pilot Chute in Tow

Canopy Collapse

Diving Line Twists

Minor Partial Parachute Malfunctions

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Line Twists

This is where a parachute twists around the vertical axis on deployment. This causes the parachute to only partically open especially if the slider is abover the line twists. If a skydiver is unable to kick from off the twists (rotating his body to untwist the lines) they will have to cutaway.

Slider Hangup

Closed End Cells

Steering Toggles Released Early

Pilot Chute Over Problems

External links

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• Article on Malfunctions

Parachuting