How should you steer a parachute with a broken brake line?

Steering a parachute with a broken brake line requires a technique that can effectively control the parachute's direction while safely managing the limited functionality of the equipment. When the brake line is broken, using the back risers becomes the most effective method for steering. Pulling down on the back risers will cause the parachute to turn in the desired direction, even with one of the primary steering controls (the brake toggles) compromised. This technique helps maintain control and allows the jumper to navigate towards a safe landing area.

Using front risers to steer is an option; however, this does not provide the same degree of control and may lead to a more aggressive turn, affecting the descent rate and stability. Releasing both brakes could further compromise control, and pulling down on the steering toggles is ineffective because the broken line means those toggles won't function correctly. Dropping the parachute and using a backup is not a viable option when attempting to steer for a safe landing; a backup system should only be activated in extreme situations where deploying a main parachute is no longer feasible.

Thus, the correct method for steering a parachute with a broken brake line is to rely on the back risers for directional control.