Similar problem - strap looped to another strap without
carabineer in between

http://ozreport.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=6622


Mathieu for the Delta-club Valais ()
writes:

One of our friends died a few days ago after throwing his
parachute. His harness has a strap which cut the bridle when the parachute
deployed. Reto was flying at about 400 meters AGL. He sped up and immediately
started tumbling. The glider broke immediately. Reto threw his parachute
but the seam of the bridle from the parachute had been cut by another strap from
the harness.


After this accident occurred, a failure was noticed on a hang gliding harness
from the French manufacturer Ellipse. This model has been manufactured since
2001. A strap in the harness will cut open the seam of the parachute bridle when
it comes under sudden tension due to the opening shock of the parachute. Pilots
using such harnesses should contact the general dealer in Switzerland or the
French manufacturer to have their harnesses modified.

Click on the above for a higher resolution photo.


Strap 1 seems to be the parachute bridle. The problem is that it is looped
around strap 2 without a carabineer in between the straps. Also, it is free to
slide around on strap two, which then cuts it. This is exactly what happened to
Andreas Orgler, when he threw his chute. You are not supposed to connect strap
to strap because one will cut the other.


More here:
http://ozreport.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=6669


General dealership Switzerland:


Aérocentre

CP 21

1964 Conthey

+41 79 449 33 11


Manufacturer in France:


Ellipse

Rte de Bonnevent

70150 Etuz / France

+33 381 57 60 22