FAA, Arizona police investigating after multiple skydivers have fallen to their deaths
The Federal Aviation Administration and police in Arizona are investigating multiple skydiving incidents that have left three skydivers dead in the last two months after complications while descending to the ground.
The latest fatal skydiving incident happened on Feb. 16. The Pinal County Sheriff’s Office told Paste BN an unidentified 47-year-old man died near Skydive Arizona in Eloy, around 60 miles southeast of Phoenix.
Witnesses told police the man was a “very experienced skydiver,” with no foul play suspected in the man's death.
But the incident has not been the only tragic skydiving accident in the last two months: Two other skydivers have also died at the same skydiving facility in Arizona. The FAA says it is investigating the deaths.
“The FAA looks into every skydiving accident that's reported to us,” the FAA said in a statement to Paste BN. “FAA investigations of skydiving accidents and incidents typically focus on inspecting the packing of the parachute and reserve parachute, and rules of flight for the pilot and aircraft.”
A man and a woman have also fallen to their death
Ann Wick, 55, from Minnesota fell to her death in the same skydiving location on Jan. 24. According to the Eloy Police Department, the woman died after “complications during descent.”
Only days later, 46-year-old Shawn Bowen of Gilbert, Arizona also died. The Eloy Police Department said he jumped using a “wing-suit type apparatus.” They said that during his descent, Bowen’s parachute did not deploy, causing him to fall to his death.
According to the U.S. Parachute Association, there were nine skydiving fatalities in the U.S. in 2024 out of an estimated 3.88 million jumps. The USPA says the most common cause of accidents comes from a failure to follow procedures.
“Statistically, accidents involving equipment malfunctions are the result of the skydiver reacting incorrectly and not following the prescribed emergency procedures,” according to the parachute association's website.
Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for Paste BN. Reach him at fernando.cervantes@gannett.com and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.