Heart-stopping moment skydiver’s parachute gets hooked on plane’s tail — leaving him twisting 15,000 feet in the air

Patrick Reilly ^ | Dec. 11, 2025 |

[bk1000]

Reason #156 why you should never jump from a perfectly good airplane.

[Captain Walker]

MMMMEEEeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Very good.

[Zhang Fei]

[I retired from it a few years ago after over 35 years of military/sport jumping with a little over 7000 jumps.]

---

For which your back specialist no doubt congratulated you on this long overdue but nonetheless welcome solicitude for your vertebrae.

[Magnum44]

My hardest landings were in the very days days of military jumping. Round parachutes dont 'flare' for landing like ram-air 'square' parachutes do. So the wear and tear on the body is not that bad, typically. I was an instructor and Tandem master as well, and about 2000 of those 7000 jumps were carrying tandem passengers. That does take a toll on your body, mostly shoulders and back.

So yes, my retirement was partly a decision that my body was done with it and needed a rest. I remain engaged with the sport as a pilot, which is considerably less physically demanding.

[Pocketdoor]

Opening scene of Rambo 2?

[mairdie]

>> I have jumped a 727 (DB Cooper style) at sporting events, and in the military I jumped a variety of ‘jets’.

Clapping madly. Totally impressed! I won’t even get on an airplane and you’re willing to jump out of one. Terrifying but wow! gutsy!

[catnipman]

we have about one person a year go splat from skydiving at our little local airport ... one just happened a couple weeks ago ..

[LouAvul]

Forget it. It's a modern "journalist." To get an idea of their expanse of wisdom, remember how they define "assault weapon."

[V_TWIN]

Nice! 👍

You’re a better man than I am, Gunga Din!

[Bob434]

Cant even imagine the fear- even if the chute dropped off the wing, gotta wonder if its gonna even work then as ypur falling. Uggg. Ill keep my feet on the ground l9l

[ansel12]

His knife saved his life, I always carried a Glock knife upside down on my chest in my military jumps.

[PAR35]

Who voluntarily sky dives out of a “speeding jet”

[No name given]

True.

[GingisK]

Well, Earle, that’s what we call early deployment.

[BipolarBob]

And here I was worried when I got hooked on phonics.

[fredhead]

I believe the immortal words of Clint Eastwood as Gunny Highway: Jumping out of a perfectly good aircraft is NOT a natural act.

[Cold Heart]

In my short, 2 year jump history, I had one main parachute failure with a fouling of my reserve, which I eventually cleared berfore landing:)

Turns out that jump school had the largest number of deaths and injuries in the US. I have one signature in my log book from the (infamous?) owner.

[Clay Moore]

I always say if I fall out of an airplane, I want a welding lead because it’s bound to snag on something.

[Sirius Lee]

“speeding jet” ?? Don’t think so.

"It's a model of a Stuka dive bomber."

"Yeah, my dad flew a jet one of those in Korea."

[Magnum44]

Curious, what year and what owner/DZ?