Elite US Army parachutist dies after ‘hard landing’ in training jump

NY Post ^ | March 17, 2023 | Yaron Steinbuch

[BenLurkin]

The paratrooper, who joined the Golden Knights in 2020 and had more than 1,000 jumps under his belt with the Army, was injured Monday during training at Homestead Air Reserve Base in Homestead, the Army said.

A team spokesman told the Miami Herald that Kettenhofen experienced a “bad landing” after a “routine jump.”

“The U.S. Army Parachute Team is deeply saddened by the loss of one of our own,” Lt. Col. Andy Moffit, Golden Knights Parachute Team commander, said in a statement.

The Golden Knights comprise several expert units, including parachute teams, pilots and people who work behind the scenes on logistics.

In the past five years, several members have been seriously injured in parachuting accidents over Homestead, including three who performed a night dive over the base in February 2019, the Herald reported.

[FlingWingFlyer]

I hate it when ‘media’ turd rollers use Army lingo. Although it probably was a “hard landing” using the term makes it sound comical. Lay off the military lingo, IDIOTS!

[Retain Mike]

Remembering that first episode of Band of Brothers, I wonder how many troopers they lost to injuries in the many practice jumps they made before the Normandy landings?

[BenLurkin]

I guess they could call it a fall. He was killed by falling from an airplane.

[Seruzawa]

Jumping out of perfectly good airplanes is dangerous! Imagine that. Who knew?

[dfwgator]

It wasn’t the fall, it was the sudden stop.

[Responsibility2nd]

Over 1,000 jumps?

He tempted fate far too often.

[DJ MacWoW]

We Need FR

Please Donate

[Big Red Badger]

RIP Soldier.

[Seruzawa]

Unfortunately good military training always has a level of injuries. If it doesn’t it’s worthless.

[Loud Mime]

I’m a former Instructor, Jumpmaster with US Parachute Assn. I’m old school, but when you talk about a hard landing on an air foil canopy, a bad flair or stall must be considered.

Under the wrong circumstances, the airfoil can beat the jumper to the ground.

I have friends with over 14,000 jumps. I stopped shy of 500.

[DariusBane]

“Airfoil can beat the jumper to the ground” Oof.

[fretzer]

RIP

[Delta 21]

The Golden Knights are the most awesome bunch of jumpers there is.

That being said, jumping out perfectly good running airplanes thousands and thousands of times until it becomes “routine” has got to catch up with you.

[higgmeister]

Under the wrong circumstances, the airfoil can beat the jumper to the ground.

I had no idea.   You just described a slam-dunk but with a human instead of a basket ball.

[Vaquero]

The bears and the birds tell Clifton Clowers
If a stranger should wander there

[Vaquero]

Oops. Wrong thread

[larrytown]

Very likely not the case here, but it seems like a lot of parachutists deaths are caused by boredom - experienced jumper gets bored and tries to juice up the experience. Intricate formations, stunts, base/bridge jumping - risk multipliers on already risky activity.

[DiogenesLamp]

Very likely not the case here,

My first thought was vax induced stroke or heart attack with the military blaming it on a bad landing.

[ansel12]

“” I wonder how many troopers they lost to injuries in the many practice jumps they made before the Normandy landings?”’

Probably a significant number, the old T-4 and T-5 chutes were supposedly much rougher than the T-10, which was still a little rough, especially with a lot of weight underneath it.