Brad Koji's accident

[Reinaldo Niella]

Does anyone know for sure how was it that Brad Koji got killed last
saturday? I heard that he had a different type of parachute-bridle setup
and that was the problem. Does anyone know "exactly" what happened?

Thanks!

[Phil Morgan]

The way I understand it, Brad Koji was killed when his parachute opened. The
bridle line was connected to his body and when his chute opened his body
was pulled into the glider wreckage breaking his neck. Normally, the bgridle
is connected at the caribearner so that the glider and pilot are stopped at
the same rate relative to each other.
I think that I may have a similar problem with my harness. Everything is
connected at the beaner like it should be but my backup hang strap
completely surrounds the main hang strap and parachute bridle. I suspect
(hope) that the backup hang strap is strong enough to support me if the main
fails. if it is then if I deploy my chute then thi parachute bridle will in
effect be connect at my harness. It is a CG-1000 harness.
Reinaldo Niella wrote in message <6mbt8b$in7$1...@colon.ba.net>...

[Angelomant]

Phil Morgan writes about Brad Koji's accident, where he may have had his bridle
connected directly to his harness;

>I think that I may have a similar problem with my harness. >Everything is
connected at the beaner like it should be but my >backup hang strap completely
surrounds the main hang strap and >parachute bridle. I suspect (hope) that the
backup hang strap is >strong enough to support me if the main fails. if it is
then if I >deploy my chute then thi parachute bridle will in effect be >connect
at my harness. It is a CG-1000 harness.

I think you're confusing your harness mains with your hang straps, which are
connected to the glider. In a CG 1000, the mains and parachute bridle are
covered by a sleeve, which is suppose to be loosely sewn together at the back.
In the event of a deployment, the sleeve easily rips open, allowing the bridle
to pull on the carabiner instead of directly on the pilot. The purpose of the
sleeve is to streamline the mains and bridle, not for any structural strength.
This is how the original setup was explained to me, at any rate. If the sleeve
IS supose to back up the mains, then your bridle would in effect be directly
attached to you, which would be dangerous. You could always run the bridle
OUTSIDE of the sleeve and use rubber bands or velcro to keep it snug to the
mains. I'd call the CG1000 maker to be sure.

Angelo Mantas

[Allen]

I would like to say THANK YOU to Angelo and Phil for your previous
postings, I had my parachute bridle tied to the mains with heavy nylon
tie-wraps on my CG 1000, they would not have ripped away in an emergancy
deployment. The problem has been since corrected.

Thanks, Allen

[Bart Doets]

There was also mention of Brad's bridle having been flung around his neck as
a result of multiple tucks (marks on his neck & melting marks on bridle).
This indicates that the attachment of Brad's bridle may not directly have
been the cause of his death; although with the bridle connection to the
harness itself, since you're no longer inbetween the A-frame, the chances of
getting tangled in the bridle may be bigger. I think with the classical
bridle / carabiner connection, you stay closer to the glider which protects
you from the bridle as well as when landing.

Bart Doets

[Marcel Beemster]

I got this through another pilot and I do apologize for any copyright
infringements but I think there is important information here for
everybody. NOTE: The report below is not my writing but by Mark Mocho,
one of the Sandia Classic organizers. Note also that the report is
preliminary and no final conclusions are drawn.

Marcel
=================================================================

Forwarded from HG Digest by Mark Mocho

This is a preliminary report, utilizing the best information I have as
one of the Sandia Classic organizers. While the actual circumstances
of Brad s accident may never be known, I feel that this report may
help us understand the risks we take in our chosen pasttime.
I don t have any way to communicate the devastation this accident has
caused in my life, just as I can t imagine the feelings you must all
be enduring. Brad was a close friend, a competitor and pilot to be
admired and emulated. His love for his family, the sport, and indeed,
all of us was obvious to all who knew him.
For those of you who never had the honor and pleasure of meeting this
prince of the sport (and life!), I hope you will join with those of us
who treasured his company and laughter in mourning a fallen brother.
Brad, we ll never forget you.
On behalf of all of the Sandia Classic staff, competitors and
spectators, our heartfelt condolences go out to his wife Barbara and
their children.
1998 Sandia Classic Report
The contest was in some ways excellent, judging by the challenging
tasks, the quality of the competitors and the advent of the rigid
wings (Class 2).
Unfortunately, the tragic death of a well-loved and respected pilot,
Brad Koji, overshadowed anything that could be said of the meet. On
June 6 (Day 1), Brad was flying his Laminar ST approximately 32 miles
northeast of the mountain, on his way to the turnpoint at Lamy and
final Goal at Clines Corners (69.4 miles) when he apparently
encountered unexpected turbulence. There were no eyewitnesses to the
tumble and subsequent glider failure. Brad deployed his parachute, but
was killed instantly when the parachute bridle deployed and broke his
neck. The medical examiner in Albuquerque determined that Brad s death
was "instantaneous," with a separation of verterbrae and servering of
the spinal cord.
Analysis of the accident will always be in question, due to the lack
of witnesses. The glider was observed under canopy, and the impact
with the ground was described as relatively gentle. Assisting pilots
were on the scene within just a few minutes, along with a training
EMT, but Brad showed no vital signs. The glider had sustained
significant damage in the tumble and subsequent impact with the ground.
According to the accident report filed by Jim Zeiset, and reports from
pilots flying in the area of the accident, the air was described as
nothing unusual for a high desert site in the summer. However, at
approximately 10,000 ft. MSL, there was a shear where the prevailing
low-level southwesterly airflow encountered a flow from the northwest.
It is surmised that the mixing layer between the two air masses
provided the turbulence that caused Brad s glider to pitch over into
an inverted flight attitude resulting in a negative failure of both
aft leading edges. Additional damage resulted from apparent subsequent
tumbles, as well as impact with the ground.
Brad was flying in an M2 harness that he had rigged with a parachute
bridle that was attached to his shoulders, instead of the normal
bridle routing up to the carabiner. Speculation (since that s all we
have) suggests that the bridle either wrapped around Brad s neck or,
due to the shoulder attachment, pulled his body into the falling glider.
Brad s body was sent to the Medical Examiner in Albuquerque for
forensic determination of the cause of death. I hesitate to speculate
or hypothesize on the findings. The facts I have related are as I
understand them. If there are are errors, I will freely bow to those
that have more timely and accurate information.
Tragedies such as Brad s make me wonder whether hang gliding is worth
it. The only consolation I can hold on to is that I hope that all my
buddies that I have been flying with over the last 25 years wouldn t
just quit and start playing checkers because I died in a hang gliding
accident. I can t speak for Brad or his family, but we owe it to
ourselves to decide just how important our joy in flight relates to
the whole scheme of things.
To me, it s the most important facet of my life, and I celebrate it
every time I shout, "CLEAR!" And I invariably offer a toast to the
friends I ve lost and wish they were there to enjoy the flight with me.
Mark Mocho