What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
At approximately 7:10 pm two wingsuit jumpers exited N901BS from 13,500 feet. During the dive the higher jumper collided with the lower jumper. The higher jumper struck the lower jumper head first into the lower jumpers right leg breaking the leg in 6 pieces.
It is my opinion that the initial impact instantly killed the higher jumper. In either case the hit was hard enough to knock the jumper unconscious and he fell to the ground without deploying either the main or the reserve parachute.
The lower jumper landed at the airport without further incident. At that time 911 was called and a search for the missing jumper was initiated. That search was called off around 9 pm due to darkness and heavy thunderstorms. The search resumed at 7 am and at approximately 9:20 am the body of the higher jumper was found and recovered.
Ryan levesque
Operations manager
Skydive carolina
803-581-5867
Www. Skydivecarolina.com
To FAA:
A planned two way wing suit jump doing advanced wing suit maneuvers in freefall.
Everything was going according to plan. At some point approximately 20SECONDS after exit from 13,500FT, during the maneuvers they had a hard mid-air collision. Breaking the one jumpers tibia and fibula on the right leg. At that point, in my professional opinion, the deceased was knock unconscious or incapacitated to the point of not being able to manually deploy his main or reserve parachute. The mid-air collision with the other jumper could possibly killed him. The deceased continued in freefall until impact with no parachute out or deployed.
Joey freeman
Uspa safety and training advisor
Uspa instructor examiner
828-275-0016
privacy data omitted Verbal statement:
At approximately 7:00 pm on 06/04/2016, privacy data omitted and Mr. Springer (deceased) planned and executed a two way wing suit jump. Not long after exiting the aircraft at 13,500 feet, the two skydivers collided, privacy data omitted striking privacy data omitted in the right leg. privacy data omittedDeployed his parachute and landed without further incident. privacy data omitted Was unaware of privacy data omitted situation until he was informed later that evening.
As the FAA filed it
AT APPROXIMATELY 7:10 PM TWO WINGSUIT JUMPERS EXITED N901BS FROM 13,500 FEET. DURING THE DIVE THE HIGHER JUMPER COLLIDED WITH THE LOWER JUMPER. THE HIGHER JUMPER STRUCK THE LOWER JUMPER HEAD FIRST INTO THE LOWER JUMPERS RIGHT LEG BREAKING THE LEG IN 6 PIECES.
IT IS MY OPINION THAT THE INITIAL IMPACT INSTANTLY KILLED THE HIGHER JUMPER. IN EITHER CASE THE HIT WAS HARD ENOUGH TO KNOCK THE JUMPER UNCONSCIOUS AND HE FELL TO THE GROUND WITHOUT DEPLOYING EITHER THE MAIN OR THE RESERVE PARACHUTE.
THE LOWER JUMPER LANDED AT THE AIRPORT WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. AT THAT TIME 911 WAS CALLED AND A SEARCH FOR THE MISSING JUMPER WAS INITIATED. THAT SEARCH WAS CALLED OFF AROUND 9 PM DUE TO DARKNESS AND HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS. THE SEARCH RESUMED AT 7 AM AND AT APPROXIMATELY 9:20 AM THE BODY OF THE HIGHER JUMPER WAS FOUND AND RECOVERED.
RYAN LEVESQUE
OPERATIONS MANAGER
SKYDIVE CAROLINA
803-581-5867
WWW.SKYDIVECAROLINA.COM
TO FAA:
A PLANNED TWO WAY WING SUIT JUMP DOING ADVANCED WING SUIT MANEUVERS IN FREEFALL.
EVERYTHING WAS GOING ACCORDING TO PLAN. AT SOME POINT APPROXIMATELY 20SECONDS AFTER EXIT FROM 13,500FT, DURING THE MANEUVERS THEY HAD A HARD MID-AIR COLLISION. BREAKING THE ONE JUMPERS TIBIA AND FIBULA ON THE RIGHT LEG. AT THAT POINT, IN MY PROFESSIONAL OPINION, THE DECEASED WAS KNOCK UNCONSCIOUS OR INCAPACITATED TO THE POINT OF NOT BEING ABLE TO MANUALLY DEPLOY HIS MAIN OR RESERVE PARACHUTE. THE MID-AIR COLLISION WITH THE OTHER JUMPER COULD POSSIBLY KILLED HIM. THE DECEASED CONTINUED IN FREEFALL UNTIL IMPACT WITH NO PARACHUTE OUT OR DEPLOYED.
JOEY FREEMAN
USPA SAFETY AND TRAINING ADVISOR
USPA INSTRUCTOR EXAMINER
828-275-0016
^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ VERBAL STATEMENT:
AT APPROXIMATELY 7:00 PM ON 06/04/2016, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AND MR. SPRINGER (DECEASED) PLANNED AND EXECUTED A TWO WAY WING SUIT JUMP. NOT LONG AFTER EXITING THE AIRCRAFT AT 13,500 FEET, THE TWO SKYDIVERS COLLIDED, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ STRIKING ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ IN THE RIGHT LEG. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^DEPLOYED HIS PARACHUTE AND LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS UNAWARE OF ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ SITUATION UNTIL HE WAS INFORMED LATER THAT EVENING.
Other reports on N901BS · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.