A canopy coach caught this incorrectly configured cutaway cable on a rig rented by his student, who was a licensed skydiver. A local packer had hooked the main canopy up to the container.

The 3-ring system is set up properly, and the white locking loop is properly routed through the small ring. However, the hard housing is flipped 180 degrees and the end (or “amp fitting”) is not flat against the riser as it should be. This causes the locking loop to twist around the amp fitting and cutaway cable, which could inhibit the cutaway cable from sliding smoothly through the housing. In the event of a cutaway, the jumper would likely have had a hard pull.