‘Jetman’ didn’t use parachute in fatal accident: Report
The Dubai ‘Jetman’ pilot who was killed in a crash in November failed to deploy the emergency parachute attached to the winged engines strapped to his back, according to an investigative report released on Thursday.
Investigators from the UAE’S General Civil Aviation Authority gave no explanation for why French skydiver Vincent Reffet, 36, didn’t use his parachute in the fall during a training flight in the desert.
Describing Reffet as an “experienced professional skydiver” and jetwing pilot, the investigators said video from the November 17 crash appeared to show him lose control and go into a backflip hovering some 240 metres (800 feet) off the ground.
Such backflips are common when wearing the wings and recoverable if the pilot thrusts forward through the flip, the report said. Reffet had experience coming out of those flips in the past, but at higher altitudes.
“The risks of the 800ft hover was discussed during the preflight briefing and, as a risk mitigation, it was decided to abort the flight and to deploy the pyro-rocket emergency parachute should the jetwing become uncontrollable,” the report said. “The investigation could not determine why the pilot did not choose this mitigation action.”
Video from a camera attached to his helmet showed the parachute only deployed after he crashed into the ground. Prior to that, his hands moved as though he thought he could enter again into a hover, the report said. The jetwing showed no mechanical problems before or during the flight, investigators said.
Xdubai, an extreme sports venture sponsoring the flights, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Nor did
The jetwing showed no mechanical problems before or during the flight. Investigators
Jetman Dubai, for whom Reffet flew.
The Jetman pilot’s death last year came as a shock to all, especially to scores of his ardent admirers who immediately took to social media to pay tributes and express their condolences. These included Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai. A keen adventurer himself, Sheikh Hamdan posted a throwback photo with Reffet, with a caption that read: “We will miss you.”
Reffet came from a family of skydivers and joined his country’s national Freefly team in 2002, before evolving into an extreme athlete with a focus on BASEjumping and wingsuit flying. He had Base-jumped off the Burj Khalifa, setting a world record. He earlier earned gold medals while competing as a free-flying skydiver on a team and competed as an extreme athlete.
Famously in 2015, Reffet and Rossy flew alongside an Emirates Airbus A380 double-decker jetliner over Dubai.—