From: Carlos Fernandez
To: apco
Sent: Wednesday, June 02, 2004 11:59 PM
Subject: mayday
Dear Sirs
I would like to report you the use of a Mayday emergency parachute Serie 424787. It happend on June 1st. 2004 during a flight from the top of the Pichincha mountain in Quito Ecuador. The altitude was 3.800 m at 11h15 in the morning. An irregular wind was blowing from South creating a rotor of which I was aware. However I never realised its strenght and after twenty seconds in the air I started to suffer a great turbulence which provoked my wing to go out of control. I tried to recover it but the air conditions were so bad that every effort I made was useless. At that moment I had 30 meters of altitude above the ground and I made use of the emergency system. It opened quite fast and I had a few seconds left to recognise the situation and act accordingly. I landed on my back and putting aside a little neck pain I am OK and despite I am an 11 years experienced pilot I am grateful that I always use an emergency parachute.
Carlos Fernández