BFL
American

BFL220 · 19.9.2013

Maxwell Bond

American

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BASE seasons

23

BASE jumps

WS BASE jumps

Skydives

WS skydives

Incident

Incident category:
BASE Fatality
ID:
BFL220
Object:
Earth
Cause of death:
Low pull
Date:
19. 09. 2013
Time:
Exit point:
Switzerland › Lauterbrunnen › Yellow Ocean

Other incidents at this location: BFL119, BFL132, BFL156, BRFTB, BFL324

Exit type:
Vertical

Personal

Name:
Maxwell Bond
Gender:
Male
Nationality:
American
Age:
Experience:

Equipment & Setup

Canopy:
Canopy size:
Container:
Suit:
Phoenix-Fly › Venom
Packing:
Slider Up
Deployment:
BOC

Circumstances

Weather:
Sunny Winds light and variable
Factors:
Extracted Pilot Chute too late Loss of speed-glide

Description

Report that has come to light is that Jumper had shown up in Lauterbrunnen with his experience in base jumping at 10 slider down base jumps prior to this base trip...

Jumper was a very experienced skydiver with AFF rating and tandem master and a few thousand skydives...

Which is why the base community cant understand why he felt the need to rush into base jumping and jump a wingsuit on his 10th base jump. Witnesses stated Max made 12 jumps in the valley in the days, leading up to the incident.

The jumper exited from yellow ocean, an object that has a 350^ meter rock drop and only 425 meters to the landing area. His Flying in his wingsuit (venom) was very head high and slow and therefore likely flying in a stall.

The canopy gets to line stretch but at the same time he hit the ground the canopy and bridle draped over the power lines (lower voltage).

There was 2 joined possible causes for death... Impacting ground at extreme force was the primary cause of death (possible low pull or pc caught in burble).

1.) This jumper had only 10 low altitude BASE jumps and ignored all advice from his fellow travelers and jumpers in the valley at the time.

2.) This jumper didn't register for the Landing card making it hard for Police to identify him and contact his family. He had no information from the SBA nor informed himself on the various exits and their profiles.

3.) This jumper assumed yellow ocean was a suitable exit for beginners, not considering that this exit doesn't have sufficient height to practice Wing-suit flights!

4.) Excellence in skydiving experience can help awareness and reactions in BASE, but it doesn't substitute proper training and preparation in this very different environment!

This fatality could of easily been prevented if the jumper had of slowed down and re-evaluated his jumping...

 

 

 

Gallery

Lost, but not forgotten...