What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On 5/18/03 at approximately 1830, while skydiving over Erda, UT, parachutist scott stephenson departed the aircraft to participate with 6 other skydivers who previously jumped intending to form up into a 7 man formation. As Mr. Stephenson approached the forming formation he collided with mark elizondo striking him in the back. There were no witnesses to the collision. Both parachutists remained conscious and deployed their parachutes and guided them to the jump zone. At approximately 50-100 feet above the ground Mr. Stephenson slumped in his harness and lost consciousness impacting the ground hard hitting his head. Mr. Elizondo never lost consciousness. Both parachutists were transported to the university of Utah medical center in slc. Mr. Stephenson died at the hospital on 5/19/03 at approximately 0300 MDT. Mr. Elizondo is in serious condition. Mr. Stephenson was a member of the sky dive Utah club and had had 13 training jumps with a uspa rated jumpmaster and has logged over 213 jumps and holds a uspa class d certification. He was using an atair aerodynamics parachute, model cobalt 105, s/n 18060700 and a performance design reserve parachute model voodoo V3 s/n 12427 mfg. 12/2001 which was packed on 5/10/3; packing records indicate the reserve parachute had been properly packed meeting regulatory requirements.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON 5/18/03 AT APPROXIMATELY 1830, WHILE SKYDIVING OVER ERDA, UT, PARACHUTIST SCOTT STEPHENSON DEPARTED THE AIRCRAFT TO PARTICIPATE WITH 6 OTHER SKYDIVERS WHO PREVIOUSLY JUMPED INTENDING TO FORM UP INTO A 7 MAN FORMATION. AS MR. STEPHENSON APPROACHED THE FORMING FORMATION HE COLLIDED WITH MARK ELIZONDO STRIKING HIM IN THE BACK. THERE WERE NO WITNESSES TO THE COLLISION. BOTH PARACHUTISTS REMAINED CONSCIOUS AND DEPLOYED THEIR PARACHUTES AND GUIDED THEM TO THE JUMP ZONE. AT APPROXIMATELY 50-100 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND MR. STEPHENSON SLUMPED IN HIS HARNESS AND LOST CONSCIOUSNESS IMPACTING THE GROUND HARD HITTING HIS HEAD. MR. ELIZONDO NEVER LOST CONSCIOUSNESS. BOTH PARACHUTISTS WERE TRANSPORTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF UTAH MEDICAL CENTER IN SLC. MR. STEPHENSON DIED AT THE HOSPITAL ON 5/19/03 AT APPROXIMATELY 0300 MDT. MR. ELIZONDO IS IN SERIOUS CONDITION. MR. STEPHENSON WAS A MEMBER OF THE SKY DIVE UTAH CLUB AND HAD HAD 13 TRAINING JUMPS WITH A USPA RATED JUMPMASTER AND HAS LOGGED OVER 213 JUMPS AND HOLDS A USPA CLASS D CERTIFICATION. HE WAS USING AN ATAIR AERODYNAMICS PARACHUTE, MODEL COBALT 105, S/N 18060700 AND A PERFORMANCE DESIGN RESERVE PARACHUTE MODEL VOODOO V3 S/N 12427 MFG. 12/2001 WHICH WAS PACKED ON 5/10/3; PACKING RECORDS INDICATE THE RESERVE PARACHUTE HAD BEEN PROPERLY PACKED MEETING REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS.