Back-tracking | Photo by Gary Winkler/U.S. Army | D-4797
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Tuesday, January 13, 2026

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Back-tracking | Photo by Gary Winkler/U.S. Army | D-4797
Gary Winkler
/ Categories: People, Featured Photos

Back-tracking | Photo by Gary Winkler/U.S. Army | D-4797

Back-Tracking highlights interesting, lesser-known moments in skydiving through the years. These photos are often unearthed from boxes in the attic, old photo albums and dimly lit DZ closets. Please send submissions to communications@uspa.org.


 

Sgt. Jose Pruneda, a member of the U.S. Army Parachute Team’s Canopy Relative Work Team, descends under two canopies during one of the dual-square deployment testing jumps in Yuma, Arizona, in the 1990s. The reserve parachute opened with a twist at the risers. The test on this particular jump was to stall the main parachute while the reserve was behind it. Upon stalling the main, the twist transferred from the reserve to the main, causing an unrecoverable downplane.

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The United States Parachute Association is a voluntary non-profit membership organization of individuals who enjoy and support the sport of skydiving. The association is incorporated in New York and follows the by-laws contained in the USPA Governance Manual.

Membership in USPA provides education that enhances safety, benefits that keep you secure, and services to keep you skydiving.

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