Posted on 10/09/2011 10:37:19 PM PDT by Berlin_Freeper
MESQUITE, Nev, A 71-year-old student skydiver and her experienced instructor died Sunday after their parachute failed to open properly about 85 miles northeast of Las Vegas, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported.
The pair jumped in tandem shortly before noon over Mesquite, Nev.
Police said after their main parachute failed to deploy, the instructor -- aged in his 60s with nearly 11,000 jumps to his name -- tried to open a back-up chute, but it was tangled and did not deploy properly.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
sad
Now that’s a bad day. I bet that ground comes up on you quick once you start getting low.
71 first-timer? Bucket List???
That’s a bit old. I am 46 and wouldn’t jump out of a plane. Even if it were going down - I’d be in denial.
Probably spent a fortune buying life insurance for years and now the heirs will get nothing.
I know it probably wouldn’t work, but I’d still flap my arms like crazy.
Considering their age - more likely they started napping instead of flapping.
Skydiving has been my life, and it will probably be my death too. But hopefully not yet, for I have many years of jumps left in me,
-—Robin Wilcox, an experienced jumper, four days before his parachute failed in 1997.
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Live by the sword...
Died because they just couldn’t find enough fun doing everyday things like playing with their kids or taking a walk in the park.
Who would jump out of a perfectly good airplane?
I had an employee years ago who was always pushing me to try skydiving. He was really into it and would spend all his spare time jumping in Perris, CA. I finally relented and agreed to go that weekend. During the week and just two days prior to my planned Saturday jump the instructor that would have jumped with me died in a similar accident. I took that as an omen and I never jumped.
Had to do it when I was in the Marine Corps, recon training; but I thought it was crazy then and I still think it’s crazy.
I’ve fallen and I can’t get up.
This hurts. I’m an old Skydive Arizona guy and the folks are great. This is not acceptable
Don’t be to quick.
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