Thanks for playing!
A double jump equivalent is indeed something that is unlocked (though after that unlock is the end of what I managed to do in the jam). I thought I'd caught all the places where you could get stuck, but it seems I missed one! Do you remember where it was?
I know there's one spot where I trap you in an area with a workbench and a lever. The lever can then be pulled to open the way to the boss, and the boss's wreck gives you what you need for the upgrade. I wonder if it was there and the lever bugged out maybe?