The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 9 letter word DESCENDER
I've seen this crossword clue in Independent
D
E
S
C
E
N
D
E
R
More clues leading to the result DESCENDER
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Character crossing the line/parachutist, perhaps" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case character crossing the line/parachutist, perhaps = descender.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does DESCENDER mean?
DESCENDER noun- A person or thing that descends.
- The part of a lowercase letter that is drawn below the bottom of lowercase letters.
- A cyclist who excels at fast descents.
- A belay device used in rock climbing