A skydiver survived a near-fatal jump in Australia after his reserve chute tangled in a plane’s tail, prompting new safety rules.

On September 20, 2025, a skydiver in Far North Queensland narrowly escaped serious injury when his reserve parachute deployed prematurely and became entangled on a Cessna Caravan’s tail during a jump near Tully Airport. The snag caused the aircraft to pitch up and lose airspeed, challenging the pilot’s control despite a mayday call and emergency procedures. The skydiver used a hook knife—non-regulatory but lifesaving—to cut 11 lines, freeing himself to deploy his main parachute and land safely. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau found the aircraft was improperly loaded due to a software flaw and noted the pilot failed to use supplemental oxygen at high altitude, increasing hypoxia risk. The incident prompted new safety measures, including mandatory hook knives and updated procedures.