How should you respond if a sling line becomes snagged on terrain?

How should you respond if a sling line becomes snagged on terrain?

• A. Continue lifting carefully until the line frees.
• B. Increase tension on the sling line to pull free.
• C. Stop the operation, secure the area, inform the crew, and reassess with the pilot.
• D. Ignore and proceed to lift.

Answer: (C)

When a sling line becomes snagged on terrain, safety first dictates stopping the lift, securing the area, informing the crew, and reassessing with the pilot. Continuing to lift or applying more tension can worsen the snag, increase line or load shock, cause uncontrolled movement, or damage equipment and injuries to personnel. By stopping, you prevent further movement and give everyone a chance to clear the zone and communicate the situation. Involving the crew ensures that all hands know what happened and can assist, while reassessing with the pilot allows for a professional assessment of the snag position, line tension, and load orientation to determine a safe way forward—whether that’s re-securing, reconfiguring the sling, or aborting and resetting. Ignoring the snag or pushing through with the lift is unsafe and not an option.

When a sling line becomes snagged on terrain, safety first dictates stopping the lift, securing the area, informing the crew, and reassessing with the pilot. Continuing to lift or applying more tension can worsen the snag, increase line or load shock, cause uncontrolled movement, or damage equipment and injuries to personnel. By stopping, you prevent further movement and give everyone a chance to clear the zone and communicate the situation. Involving the crew ensures that all hands know what happened and can assist, while reassessing with the pilot allows for a professional assessment of the snag position, line tension, and load orientation to determine a safe way forward—whether that’s re-securing, reconfiguring the sling, or aborting and resetting. Ignoring the snag or pushing through with the lift is unsafe and not an option.