Man survives 3,500ft fall
Discussion
ananova said:
Man survives 3,500ft fall
A British skydiver has survived a 3,500ft fall after his parachute failed to open.
Charlie Williams, 25, was saved by a corrugated iron roof he smashed through at 120mph.
It broke the army officer's fall as he landed on a shanty town in Kenya, reports the Sun.
He escaped with three cracked vertebrae and a dislocated finger and is now recovering at his parents' home in Bradford.
Charlie said: "I don't know if I'm very lucky or very unlucky. I'm alive and frankly that's all that matters."
He clipped the side of the aircraft and was sent spiralling head-first after he leapt from a Cessna 102 plane.
As he pulled his ripcord his feet got entangled in the rigging. Charlie hurtled towards the ground with the canopy flapping uselessly.
He said: "I was very frightened and I was panicking. My body position meant it was impossible to deploy my reserve parachute."
Incredible!
One of my neighbours survived a fall of approx. 100 ft from a micro light powered glider but he suffered broken arms/legs and (IIRC) pelvis etc. There were internal injuries and complications too. He was in hospital for at least 3 months. Amazingly he was able to walk again.
One of my neighbours survived a fall of approx. 100 ft from a micro light powered glider but he suffered broken arms/legs and (IIRC) pelvis etc. There were internal injuries and complications too. He was in hospital for at least 3 months. Amazingly he was able to walk again.
Frik said:
How about 33,000 feet?
However, surely that's a plane crash rather than a "fall"?
Guinness said:
a former nurse, Bruno Henke, saw Vesna's legs sticking out of the fuselage. Bruno cleared Vesna's airways before rushing her to hospital.
I've got a book somewhere called "Into the silk" which is a collection of stories from the Caterpillar club. Some of the most amazing stories are the ones that weren't eligible to join.
Such as the man mentioned earlier - who fell from bomber, through the trees into the snowdrift. His story was verified and the remains of his parachute were found still stowed inside the wrecked plane.
Or the Lancaster that exploded at altitude - the tail section stayed in one piece and spiralled all the way down like a sycamore key, with the tail gunner still strapped in his seat.
Or the skydiving instructor Derek Schofield dispatching static line students. One student got a "hang-up" and was stuck dangling from the plane by the static line. The student opened his reserve, bringing the plane, its occupants and himself down under a single canopy...
Such as the man mentioned earlier - who fell from bomber, through the trees into the snowdrift. His story was verified and the remains of his parachute were found still stowed inside the wrecked plane.
Or the Lancaster that exploded at altitude - the tail section stayed in one piece and spiralled all the way down like a sycamore key, with the tail gunner still strapped in his seat.
Or the skydiving instructor Derek Schofield dispatching static line students. One student got a "hang-up" and was stuck dangling from the plane by the static line. The student opened his reserve, bringing the plane, its occupants and himself down under a single canopy...
simpo two said:
There was at least case like that in WW2 (and probably several). The one I remember reading about was a tail-gunner from an RAF bomber who bailed out at about 11,000 feet with no parachute. His fall was broken by some large conifers and a very big snowdrift apparently!
I remember reading about him in the Victor comic around 1964, I seem to remember his name was Acklemead or something similar, off to have a look on google......
Here we are, what a memory eh????....
Nick Alkemade
March 23, 1944: Nick Alkemade of the Royal Air Force survived a chuteless jump. He was a tail gunner in an AVRO Lancaster bomber. While returning from a bombing mission the aircraft was attacked by German Junkers JU-88. Alkemade was trapped in the turret after the bomber caught fire. His parachute was in the cabin area. Alkemade jumped from the aircraft, preferring a quick death to being burned.
He fell from 18,000 ft, all the while thinking of his ultimate death. He relaxed his body and fell in a slightly head down position.
His next recollection was looking up at the stars through some pine trees. He could not believe he was okay. He moved each arm and leg and soon realized he was not even hurt badly.
Completely grateful of being alive he smoked a cigarette, before even getting up. He thought about what had just happened to him.
He realized that the pine trees, with their pliable branches, slowly reduced his descent rate to one that was survivable. In addition, the soft snow cover reduced the landing forces even more.
He finally stood up. His leg was sprained and would not support his weight.
A short time later, the Germans captured Alkemade. The Gestapo did not believe his story of jumping without a parachute. They thought he was a spy. Finally, after inspecting the parachute harness and finding the burned parachute at the crash site they believe him.
Alkemade died on Jun. 22, 1987.
Nick Alkemade
March 23, 1944: Nick Alkemade of the Royal Air Force survived a chuteless jump. He was a tail gunner in an AVRO Lancaster bomber. While returning from a bombing mission the aircraft was attacked by German Junkers JU-88. Alkemade was trapped in the turret after the bomber caught fire. His parachute was in the cabin area. Alkemade jumped from the aircraft, preferring a quick death to being burned.
He fell from 18,000 ft, all the while thinking of his ultimate death. He relaxed his body and fell in a slightly head down position.
His next recollection was looking up at the stars through some pine trees. He could not believe he was okay. He moved each arm and leg and soon realized he was not even hurt badly.
Completely grateful of being alive he smoked a cigarette, before even getting up. He thought about what had just happened to him.
He realized that the pine trees, with their pliable branches, slowly reduced his descent rate to one that was survivable. In addition, the soft snow cover reduced the landing forces even more.
He finally stood up. His leg was sprained and would not support his weight.
A short time later, the Germans captured Alkemade. The Gestapo did not believe his story of jumping without a parachute. They thought he was a spy. Finally, after inspecting the parachute harness and finding the burned parachute at the crash site they believe him.
Alkemade died on Jun. 22, 1987.
another storyteller said:
............He fell from 18,000 ft, all the while thinking of his ultimate death. He relaxed his body and fell in a slightly head down position.
His next recollection was looking up at the stars through some pine trees. He could not believe he was okay. He moved each arm and leg and soon realized he was not even hurt badly.
Completely grateful of being alive he smoked a cigarette, before even getting up. He thought about what had just happened to him, dropped his cigarette, started a forest fire and burned to a crisp in double-quick time........
Wacky Racer said:
Here we are, what a memory eh????....
Nick Alkemade
etc
Anyone watch Bomber Command last night?
Turns out that Nick Alkemade was the gradfather of the guy who's being the gunner! Top story, except for the fact that he couldn't cope with the hero worship accorded him following the war.
pdV6 said:
Here we are, what a memory eh????....
Nick Alkemade
etc
Anyone watch Bomber Command last night?
Turns out that Nick Alkemade was the gradfather of the guy who's being the gunner! Top story, except for the fact that he couldn't cope with the hero worship accorded him following the war.
Great telly. Yet again I'm bloody glad to be born nowadays.
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