Man plummets when skydiving stunt goes wrong

UNDATED (WHDH) -- Craig Stapleton, a master of 7000 skydiving jumps, was testing a flag release stunt with jump partner Katie Nelson when things began going wrong.

“The speed of the deployment was too much and it actually flipped me through the risers of my parachute and fouled my parachute,” said Stapleton.

That's when Stapleton began spinning.

“Most of my life is what it felt like,” said Stapleton.

During that three minute spin, Craig deployed his reserve chute.

It got stuck in the already tangled chute.

While Craig was trying to survive, Nelson was watching, powerless to help her friend.

“I was pretty sure I was about to watch my friend die,” said Nelson.

Craig hit the ground at thirty miles an hour.

Nelson, a nurse, landed, dropped her chute and ran for Stapleton.

“I was expecting a traumatic head injury,” said Nelson who was convinced Stapleton was dead.

“I couldn't believe that his head was sticking up, I was like, no he's just twitching,” said Nelson.

“I hurt quite a bit and in my mind, I thought, that's a really good sign. I'm really hurting. That's a good thing,” recalled Stapleton.

Stapleton was rushed to the hospital but had no broken bones or internal bleeding.

In fact, all he walked away with were a dislocated shoulder - and some major bumps and bruises.