Inquiry to view video of skydive

Video footage shot by a Taupo skydiver before his parachute malfunctioned six metres from the ground will be examined as part of an investigation into the accident's cause.

The Freefall Skydive employee, 39, broke his pelvis on impact at Taupo Airport about 5.35pm on Monday and was recovering in Waikato Hospital.

He had been filming a tandem skydive at the time of the accident.

The man had jumped from 15,000 feet (4570m) and was coming into land when his parachute collapsed 6m above the ground and he spun out of control.

He landed out of the drop zone on a bank behind a stand of trees.

Footage taken of the jump will be used to determine the cause of the accident. It will be investigated by the Parachute Industry Association, Freefall Skydive and the Civil Aviation Authority.

Industry association chief executive Keith Gallaher said the investigation, which was expected to take four to six weeks, would include examining the man's parachute and harness, viewing the video footage, and the employer's accident report.

The association investigated all accidents involving its membership of 16 skydive companies. In the past 12 months, it had investigated seven injury-related skydiving accidents from about 150,000 descents. The injuries ranged from twisted ankles to a broken pelvis, Mr Gallaher said.

Freefall Skydive director Roy Clements said the Taupo man was lucky to only break his pelvis. "It was a helluva fall. It depends on how you land, but you always worry what the internal injuries will be."

Mr Clements said the man had completed more than 15,000 jumps. "He was very experienced and, as far as I know, had not had any accidents before this."

In 2007, skydiver Michael Holmes broke an ankle and punctured a lung when he fell 3675m into blackberry bushes after his parachute failed.

- © Fairfax NZ News