Day after The Purple Taco - Paragliding accident on Lake Isabella April 2008

[MrGeorge2220]

The girl's dad was a substitute at my school today.

[carot2003]

Instructor said the reserve much to late..

[pixelbeans]

Crap SIV tuition - you should so have been throwing reserve earlier. Glad you're ok man.

[skyfreak909]

name the instructor, clinic admin.

This policy and proceedure if it continues, is going to kill someone, soon. It sounds like Gabriel Jebb on the radio, is it?

[alexsakon]

Was this a commercial SIV clinic or just random group of people having fun?

[MartinettiUS]

@alexsakon it was an SIV clinic

[TheNovaAxon]

This proves that holding a radio is not equal to expertise....

On the point of impact: here you go.... Moron, the pilot trusted you!

[shanemiller12121212]

instructor and friends are f___cken idiots

[skysurferuk]

Crap Instructing. Crap skipper on the boat. What boat? Glad you made it, hope you still fly. This is one of many reasons, I really don't want to do an SIV (I'm a scaredy cat!). I'll just try to keep it looking like a wing, rather than my washing...

[Pier2pie]

shouldve thought before going

[johnknoefler]

The term "personal responsibility" comes to mind.

[Lehmann108]

Ivan is not okay you fucking moron. Hit the water at 60 mph?

[plantaromegalia]

this video makes me sick. I can't even count all the places I want to vomit when watching this. 0:58 "do this or not?" 1:18 "gnarly" 1:42 "Ivan yell if you are ok" 2:08 "in my green bag" . Where is the boat?

I have watched a few of these things on youtube and don't remember ever seeing people sauntering to the beach and no boat in view. Was there alcohol on the beach?

[duleigalo]

Sve se mjenja sem kamenja...i Iva Martinetija.

[MartinettiUS]

hahahahaha

[chrislkgap]

Well man, you were in the end lucky to survive that accident. And that was a very unprofessional SIV. Some people shouldn't be allowed to give SIV courses.

[doughboy779]

god, who is the instructor? what an idiot! he told you to "catch the surge" after you already came close to getting gift wrapped. bad timing. And to put pressure on you asking you if you're going to do it or not. How unprofessional. Sorry you had to go through that bro.

[persiantraveler]

@doughboy779

I agree.

[JohnELooker]

Please contact me about licensing this footage for our TV show.

[MartinettiUS]

$18K for helicopter

$25K for hospital

$2 for ambulance that took me from the boat to the helicopter (500 feet ride)

[dobrydmais]

Sorry about your accident. After pushing to hard in a very intensive SIV (4 tows) & Advanced SIV (14 in a single day) in the end of the day I could not lift a glass of water and had a tendonitis on my arms. So, my take is, need to be phisically fit for acro/siv, otherwise it is risk behaviour.

Don't you have an insurace to cover those kind of expenses? In Europe it is either included in the course or required by them.

[TornTech]

@MartinettiUS

Or free if you're in Canada ;)

[MartinettiUS]

@TornTech haha ... actually not funny, it is too bad that USA has such bad health system.

[stephen1carberry]

Hi glad your doing good now that was a mad video could i just ask a question when you said it was an expensive mistake is that for the heilcoptor and how much was it for it if you dont mind me askin thanks

[dorbie]

Damn, that reserve call came low, but you went parachutal and then into a spiral for at least 10 seconds. You put your wing into a spiral at the end and only you knew you were backwards in your harness unable to pull out. Drugs and flight DO NOT mix.

The boat reels in the tow line between flights and that probably had them half way across the lake, they should work on a faster response, that's too damned long and I've seen it before.

If someone's looking low they need to haul ass sooner.

[bablat1]

The water must have felt like concrete at that speed. Glad you made it ok and thanks for sharing this video. I will be sure to wear a life jacket for the SIV planned later this year.

[Thorralf83]

1:22

Catch the search? Anyway, in my point of view is this the right moment for the rescue parachute.

[MartinettiUS]

Absolutely, 1:22 was the exact time for the reserve. I have made some more comments on the video so watch it again if you want..

[mrbradgeary]

WACK! I know the water can hurt but damn!....

seems you through pretty fast after getting the command.

[dEster61]

Great to hear that you DID survive this! You must be made of steel. :) Sorry to hear about your right eye though. Equipment can be bought ones health hardly right? Instructions and boat were too late without discussion! Still flying?

[MartinettiUS]

Thank you dEster61, yes I am flying almost every Saturday and Sunday! My eye is much better.

BTW, I take most of responsibility for the accident. I was well aware of the fact that I was exosted from the previous 2 days of flying and not fit for any extreme maneuvers. And my first "brownie" ever, didn't help the situation at all.

[dEster61]

Nice man that's the spirit! Here in central Europe the weather is hideous so I am heading to Canary Islands for some warmth dune and cliff flying soon. :)

[garyfreefly1]

I agree with everything you say ...you got let down Big style by the so called instructor..However its down to you to keep yourself safe...never ever ever rely on somebody else... We all only get one run ....

[windgypsy]

bonehead instructor out of his mind

[andrewjcraig]

The boat should be just about directly under you during the manoeuvres, so that if something goes wrong and you hit the water it's there in a few seconds. And a lifejacket is essential.

[MartinettiUS]

I agree 100%, unfortunately driver of the boat does not share our opinions. But it is clearly only my luck that I didn't pass out and drown.

[flyboytim32]

I agree 100% also.

[glendeco]

He did tell you to late brother. I think your instructor was not tracking your alt. well enough.THROW YOUR CHUTE, SMACK!!!! perfect!

[MartinettiUS]

I agree 100% with your assessment! He said "reserve" way too late and I thought I had at list 1000 feet more to go. His calm voice made me feel that I was safe and that I had enough time to try to correct. However, I should have known better.

[flyboytim32]

It was way to late to do this kind of manouver.

We were doing this at 2000-plus feet minimum.

You had no time to make the mistakes your there to safely make, thats the whole idea os SIV,s.

[MartinettiUS]

Yes, including helmet! :) It sucks!

[mrbradgeary]

sounds like a lot of damage to you and your stuff. so all your flight gear other than the reserve was trashed?

[MartinettiUS]

Yes I did have my reserve and you can see it out just seconds before impact. I throw it as soon as I could right after I heard my instruction telling me to do so. My opinion is that he gave those instructions too late. He was saying I was fine so I thought I was. I had no idea I was so low.

[FegrusMojo]

Good to hear your ok now. Wings and water do not mix, always have a life jacket....did you have a reserve ?

[MartinettiUS]

Thank you! Yes it was Lake Isabella. My helmet's buckle didn't hold and the helmet slipped off my head. I got injured by the helmet's chin guard.

[Cormacpara]

sorry to hear about your eye? was that @ lake isabella?