Malfunction (parachuting)
If time permits, the skydiver might first attempt to bump their container to dislodge a trapped deployment bag.
[2][3] This malfunction occurs when the deployment bag is extracted from the main container, but fails to release the canopy within.
[4] A "horseshoe" describes a malfunction where a parachute deploys, but remains attached to a skydiver by its risers and at least one other point.
Extracting the pilot chute, while simple during the course of a normal jump, becomes a new challenge, because its location will have shifted due to the deployment of the main canopy.
Skydivers may wish to practice on the ground deploying their pilot chute with the main canopy out of the container in order to gain experience with this procedure.
If successfully cleared, the main parachute will likely fail to deploy correctly due to severe line twists.
However, the skydiver can treat this as a normal high-speed malfunction, release the main, and deploy the reserve.
If it is hung up near the top of the lines, the canopy will not provide sufficient lift or drag, and the rate of descent will be high.
If the slider hangs up midway down the lines, the canopy will inflate almost normally (and may or may not be safe to land in that condition).
If the malfunction can not be cleared sufficiently and one decides to cut away, the decision to do so must be made at a high enough altitude to allow the reserve to deploy.
2: Skydiver decides not to cut away the main canopy, because there is a risk the main will tangle with the reserve. Reserve canopy goes forward and strikes the main canopy.
3: Skydiver fights for main canopy. Main and reserve canopies assume biplane position (one of two possible positions where both canopies can work together).
