What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
A flight of 8 jumpers departed Skydive Chicago Airport (8N2) on July 7, 2025, at approximately 1600. The jumper exited the Cessna caravan as number 6 at approximately 13,500 feet AGL under clear conditions. The ground temperature was 84 degrees fahrenheit, with a 3-MPH wind in the landing area.
No one observed the jumper’s opening sequence or initial freefall; however, witnesses did state that the main canopy was fully deployed at approximately 5,000 feet.
At approximately 2,500 feet, witnesses observed the jumper in a moderate spin to the right with no forward airspeed. As the spin continued, two witnesses stated that the jumper was “slumped in his harness and unresponsive”.
The jumper impacted the ground in a cornfield about 300 yards west of the landing zone. Paramedics arrived at about 1700, where he was pronounced dead at the scene an hour later.
Post incident examination:
The main canopy was a SABRE2 230-square-foot model, serial number SA-230 018855 owned by the sky diving facility and identified as pack 9. The canopy was packed by a rigger who is contracted by the sky diving facility. An inspection of the canopy found the right steering line toggle in the stowed position. This was consistent with photographs taken on the scene and would support a turn to the right. The remainder of the inspection was unremarkable and expected for a deployed canopy.
The reserve was a performance design canopy, model 235R, serial number 056169. The reserve was not deployed and found compliant with 14 CFR part 105.43(b)(1). Last inspected date June 22, 2025.
The harness/container system was a sun path model J5K, serial number 44082 with a functioning cypres aad C3696. The examination of the system was unremarkable.
The helmet was not fractured and contained no audio or camera device. The jumper wore a wrist-mounted digital altimeter that was not available for examination.
This was the deceased 35th jump and third solo. He jumped earlier in the day without issue.
As the FAA filed it
A FLIGHT OF 8 JUMPERS DEPARTED SKYDIVE CHICAGO AIRPORT (8N2) ON JULY 7, 2025, AT APPROXIMATELY 1600. THE JUMPER EXITED THE CESSNA CARAVAN AS NUMBER 6 AT APPROXIMATELY 13,500 FEET AGL UNDER CLEAR CONDITIONS. THE GROUND TEMPERATURE WAS 84 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT, WITH A 3-MPH WIND IN THE LANDING AREA.
NO ONE OBSERVED THE JUMPER’S OPENING SEQUENCE OR INITIAL FREEFALL; HOWEVER, WITNESSES DID STATE THAT THE MAIN CANOPY WAS FULLY DEPLOYED AT APPROXIMATELY 5,000 FEET.
AT APPROXIMATELY 2,500 FEET, WITNESSES OBSERVED THE JUMPER IN A MODERATE SPIN TO THE RIGHT WITH NO FORWARD AIRSPEED. AS THE SPIN CONTINUED, TWO WITNESSES STATED THAT THE JUMPER WAS “SLUMPED IN HIS HARNESS AND UNRESPONSIVE”.
THE JUMPER IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A CORNFIELD ABOUT 300 YARDS WEST OF THE LANDING ZONE. PARAMEDICS ARRIVED AT ABOUT 1700, WHERE HE WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD AT THE SCENE AN HOUR LATER.
POST INCIDENT EXAMINATION:
THE MAIN CANOPY WAS A SABRE2 230-SQUARE-FOOT MODEL, SERIAL NUMBER SA-230 018855 OWNED BY THE SKY DIVING FACILITY AND IDENTIFIED AS PACK 9. THE CANOPY WAS PACKED BY A RIGGER WHO IS CONTRACTED BY THE SKY DIVING FACILITY. AN INSPECTION OF THE CANOPY FOUND THE RIGHT STEERING LINE TOGGLE IN THE STOWED POSITION. THIS WAS CONSISTENT WITH PHOTOGRAPHS TAKEN ON THE SCENE AND WOULD SUPPORT A TURN TO THE RIGHT. THE REMAINDER OF THE INSPECTION WAS UNREMARKABLE AND EXPECTED FOR A DEPLOYED CANOPY.
THE RESERVE WAS A PERFORMANCE DESIGN CANOPY, MODEL 235R, SERIAL NUMBER 056169. THE RESERVE WAS NOT DEPLOYED AND FOUND COMPLIANT WITH 14 CFR PART 105.43(B)(1). LAST INSPECTED DATE JUNE 22, 2025.
THE HARNESS/CONTAINER SYSTEM WAS A SUN PATH MODEL J5K, SERIAL NUMBER 44082 WITH A FUNCTIONING CYPRES AAD C3696. THE EXAMINATION OF THE SYSTEM WAS UNREMARKABLE.
THE HELMET WAS NOT FRACTURED AND CONTAINED NO AUDIO OR CAMERA DEVICE. THE JUMPER WORE A WRIST-MOUNTED DIGITAL ALTIMETER THAT WAS NOT AVAILABLE FOR EXAMINATION.
THIS WAS THE DECEASED 35TH JUMP AND THIRD SOLO. HE JUMPED EARLIER IN THE DAY WITHOUT ISSUE.