• Skydiver survives a 4,600-metre fall after reserve chute snags aircraft tail.
• The incident occurred during a planned 16-way formation jump near Cairns.
• The skydiver managed to cut free and deploy their main parachute for a safe landing.

In a dramatic incident captured on video, a skydiver was left dangling from the tail of a Cessna aircraft after their reserve parachute prematurely deployed when its handle snagged on the plane's wing flap. This mishap occurred during a formation jump planned at 15,000 feet south of Cairns, Australia, according to SCMP and India Times.

The footage showed the reserve parachute dragging the skydiver backwards, causing them to strike the aircraft before becoming ensnared. The incident inadvertently knocked the camera operator into free fall, as per reports. Suspended in mid-air, the skydiver managed to use a hook knife to cut through the tangled lines of the reserve chute, ultimately deploying their main parachute and landing safely with only minor injuries, according to India Times and CBS News.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) reported the aircraft's tail sustained significant damage, but the pilot safely landed the aircraft after issuing a mayday call. ATSB Chief Commissioner Angus Mitchell highlighted the incident as a reminder to skydivers about the importance of proper equipment usage, noting that "carrying a hook knife ... could be lifesaving in the event of a premature reserve parachute deployment," according to SCMP, India Times, and CBS News.