Dive Team Accident

[Hatul]

The Zeagle rip-cord system is considered fool-proof. Until now.

A dive officer died last year in a lake search exercise, and the cause was attributed to a faulty BC. The thread reveals the BC to be a Zeagle Ranger that failed to inflate and to release weights. According to the info all 12 BC's of the dive team had failed to release weight on testing.

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/ac...ficer-died-chesapeake-dive-team-training.html

Perhaps it's time for us Zeagle rip-cord owners to test the system.

Adam

 

[coldwaterlloyd]

You need to be in a vertical position for it to work as designed . You also do not want to overload them with shot . I moulded two 15 lb slabs that fit correctly in the weight pocket . When tested they drop like an anchor .
Sad story indeed . My condolonces

 

[fisheater]

For all 12 to fail, within 3 months of being tested OK (if reports are to be believed), it appears to me to be a case of improper re-stringing.

More information would be great.

 

[ScottZeagle]

I'm not sure that all the information floating around the internet is correct on this report.

I watched the news conference online here: http://www.wavy.com/dpp/news/local_...lts?ref=scroller&categoryId=20000&status=true and it raises some serious questions in my mind.

I'm not really going to say much more about this...

Scott

 

[ajtoady]

I watched the link from Scott and am perplexed.

Why would you not have gear serviced in three years? If the weight system fails and you have a buddy helping as was stated, why not shed the bc and worry about it later. Seems to me that as a Zeagle owner with the ripcord system, we have a bunch of inexperienced divers or divers unfamiliar with the equipment provided. I personally check my release every month and have yet to have a failure. My opinion and it's just my opinion, is as follows: 1) 40 lbs of weight seems a bit much to cram into a BC 2) was the weight in the proper pocket to be released? 3) was this a practice session? If so was there a briefing on the equipment and procedures of use thereof? 4) what about oral inflation? I practice this on a regular basis. 5) Last but not least, dive plan and buddy

Any way you look at it is indeed a shame and my thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends.

 

[agilis]

For all twelve to 'fail' makes it almost certain that the BCs were set up incorrectly, or tested in a questionable manner. It wouldn't surprise me if they had been modified in some way by the team. I don't use weights in my Zeagle Scout because I prefer the simplicity of a weight belt. As in so many things less is more, simple and direct is always better. My Zeagle inflator is well over 10 years old, and it's as solid as the day I bought it. Hell, my retired 30 year old cheap Dacor BCs inflator still works perfectly. I disassemble and clean the Zeagle inflator regularly and relace any rubber parts, springs, etc. that look even slightly worn. Zeale BCs are very well made, but neglect can cause problems with anything. All 12 though? No. Not likely. Something else is going on here.

 

[t-mac]

Pretty clear to me what's going on here. I think it's disgusting that people can be so obviously negligent and still try to push it off on someone else. I'm truly sad for the guy who died and his family, but honestly if I were wearing 40lbs of lead and dove with an inflator I knew was broken I would know exactly where to assign the blame if things went wrong. That's hard for the family and its hard for the chief who clearly was not running a tight ship and created this sloppy environment, but that's the bottom line. If they maintained and properly used their equipment, this would not have happened.

 

[Ste Wart]

I, for one, would like to see the 12 failed tests repeated.

I used my Zeagle Brigade; without service (and pretty slack with cleaning) for about 1000 dives, never gave me a spot of bother.

Curious to hear more about this, I can't fault Zeagle.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

While not a PSD diver I have some observations from a recreational instructor's viewpoint.
1. 40lbs of lead? Who the hell taught these guys how to do a weight check
2. Gear not serviced in three years? Who was in charge of the team and drawing up procedures? He has some explaining to do.
3. They now will require predive checks? WTF were they doing before
4. Were they even trained in PSD techniques by a PSD instructor or did they do like lots of the small volunteer FD's do in this area. Have someone write up a grant request for cash from Homeland Security and get trained by a recreational instructor for OW, maybe AOW, and a RECREATIONAL Search and Recovery course. Then call themselves a "Dive Team". While also purchasing whatever gear the RECREATIONAL instructor recommends.
5. Why the hell did they not have a surface support craft (BOAT) in the first place?
6. Diver knew his gear was broken and continued the dive? Darwin won.
7. This on the surface would seem to have very little to do with gear. The gear seems to have failed because the diver failed it. 40lbs, broken inflator- he abused it.
8.Who the hell told him it was ok to have all your weight in one system? Especially that much. That is asking to get killed.

Shame it happened but no one to blame here but him and maybe the person who told him he was now a PSD diver.

 

[Capt.Gene]

I have NOT read the report but I do know an absolute fact.
Weights placed in the zippered pocket outboard from the weight compartments will not release when the Ripcord handle is pulled.
The pocket may LOOK like a safe place to put an extra 10 # weight, but it's not.
And trim weights are not released by deploying the Ripcord either.