What should be done if the pilot chute extracts the deployment bag but fails to release the parachute canopy?

In the scenario where the pilot chute extracts the deployment bag but does not release the parachute canopy, the appropriate action to take is to cut away and deploy the reserve. This situation may indicate a malfunction where the main parachute is not deploying correctly, which can present a serious risk during the skydive.

Cutting away the main parachute allows the skydiver to safely detach from the malfunctioning rig and free themselves from any potential snags or entanglements. Once the main parachute is cut away, deploying the reserve parachute is crucial, as it provides a necessary secondary means of descent and landing safely. The reserve parachute is designed to be a reliable alternative for situations where the main parachute does not function correctly.

Waiting to see if the canopy deploys or trying to manually release the canopy could lead to further complications and increases the risk of injury or equipment entanglement. Pulling the main parachute handle again would also be ineffective since the deployment bag has already been extracted, and the issue lies with the canopy itself. Therefore, the safest and most prudent action in this scenario is to cut away and deploy the reserve.