This jumper deployed his main canopy during a currency jump but did not perform a controllability check after the canopy opened. He did not realize until after he landed that the slider had stopped two feet from the top of the main risers and stayed in that position. The friction between the slider grommet and lines, along with the air inflating the slider, was the likely cause. If the jumper had noticed the stuck slider at deployment altitude and flared, holding the toggles down until the canopy’s speed dropped off, it likely would have cleared the problem at that time.

While it generally does not cause a malfunction, a stuck slider can greatly affect the performance of the canopy. Following a main canopy deployment, jumpers should perform a thorough visual inspection followed by a controllability check immediately after ensuring that the airspace is clear around them.