An incredible incident unfolded when a skydiver narrowly escaped a potentially fatal mishap after his reserve parachute unexpectedly opened and became entangled with an aircraft’s tail mid-flight.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) detailed the unusual sequence of events, explaining that the reserve parachute’s handle inadvertently caught on the plane’s flap, triggering its deployment.

Captured in dramatic video footage, the September event shows the parachute unfurling as the skydiver is flung against the plane’s tail before being left hanging precariously as the chute snags.

The ATSB described how the reserve parachute wrapped around the aircraft’s left horizontal stabilizer and elevator, deflating as the skydiver’s legs collided with the stabilizer. This left the individual suspended beneath the tailplane, according to their report.

“The reserve parachute wrapped around the left horizontal stabiliser and elevator and deflated as” the skydiver’s “lower legs struck the stabiliser,” the ATSB noted, adding that the person “was then suspended beneath the tailplane.”

The individual was able to utilize a hook knife to cut parachute lines.

“The reserve parachute then tore, releasing” the person “from the aircraft with part of the reserve remaining on the aircraft’s tail,” the ATSB report notes.

A skydiver’s reserve chute catches onto the aircraft, leaving him dangling in the air. (Australian Transport Safety Bureau via Storyful)

After breaking free of the aircraft, the skydiver was able to deploy the main parachute and land — though not without facing some complications.

The ATSB report states that “during the main parachute deployment, the remaining reserve parachute lines twisted around the main parachute lines. Additionally, during the opening sequence, the right brake toggle of the main parachute released.”

“The main parachute fully inflated with line twists, and after initially turning right, commenced a rapid left turn. After several rotations,” the skydiver “grabbed and pulled on the right brake line above the line twists to arrest the turn. The parachute stopped turning, and” the individual “was able to unwind the line twists and release the left brake toggle. Passing about 8,000 ft, the main parachute lines fully unwound from the reserve parachute lines and functioned normally for the remainder of the descent.”

The skydiver managed to use a hook knife to sever the lines of the mistakenly deployed reserve chute. (Australian Transport Safety Bureau via Storyful)

The pilot managed to land the damaged airplane, according to the ATSB, which noted that the skydiver “landed 9 seconds later with minor lacerations and bruising to their left lower leg and a deep gash to their right lower leg.”