Watch Heart-Stopping Footage Shows Skydiver Dangling at 15,000 Feet After Parachute Snags Plane’s Tail

Australian accident investigators released video showing a skydiver trapped outside an aircraft after his parachute caught on the tail at 15,000 feet. The incident unfolded during a planned group jump, leaving the man hanging far above the ground.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau released the footage as part of its investigation. The event began on September 20 at Tully Airport in Queensland, where a Cessna Caravan climbed with a pilot and seventeen parachutists preparing for a formation jump.

The Moment the Jump Went Wrong

As the aircraft reached 4,500 meters, sixteen skydivers exited the plane in sequence. A seventeenth jumper stood at the open door filming the departure. When Adrian Ferguson began his exit, the ripcord of his reserve parachute snagged on a wing flap.

The reserve chute deployed instantly and pulled Ferguson backward. He struck the camera operator, knocking him clear into free fall. Ferguson’s legs then hit the horizontal stabilizer before the parachute wrapped around the tail, leaving him suspended behind the aircraft.

Cutting Free at Altitude

Dangling in the slipstream, Ferguson acted quickly. Using a hook knife he carried, he cut through eleven parachute lines. This allowed him to separate from the aircraft while still holding part of the damaged reserve canopy.

After clearing the tail, Ferguson deployed his main parachute. It inflated fully, despite partial entanglement with the torn reserve.

Watch the video below:

The Aircraft’s Safe Return

The pilot remained airborne with two parachutists onboard and fabric trailing from the tail. Control was difficult, and a mayday call was made as the pilot prepared for a possible bailout, with calm guidance from controllers.

Air traffic controllers in Brisbane advised that the plane could land. The Cessna returned to Tully without further damage or injuries safely.