Water kills

[diverdriver 7]

Yesterday, Sunday, a jumper was killed trying to swoop the pond at SDC. I was not there so all the info I have is second hand and I want to talk to more people before I comment more.

I will say this.....NOT EVERYONE HAS THE ABILITY TO MAKE HIGH PERFORMANCE LANDINGS. EVEN FEWER SHOULD BE ATTEMPTING TO POND SWOOP!

I was told this jumper was not known for doing high performance landings in the main landing area so why this jumper decided to "learn" (aparently) while pond swooping is a mystery. Also, before anyone starts going off on the "training at SDC". This jumper did not "train" at SDC. The jumper came from another DZ with over 1,000 jumps.

My condolences to the jumper's friends and family. I will post a name at the appropriate time. It's not even 24 hours later so I'm not sure the family has all been notified.

Chris Schindler

[LawnDart21 0]

That's terrible. Here I am posting seperately all excitedly about my 1st pond swoops yesterday and another brother dies from it. My timing sucks. I apologize, but I didn't know about it before I posted my post. My apologies.

Is there any information on what happened?

My prayers are with his family/and SDC.

-Tom

[AndyMan 7]

Quote

Is there any information on what happened?

There's stories going around, and I've heard them pretty consistent.... but still, rather then pass them on I'll wait for the oficial version.

I was at the DZ down the road, but word spread pretty quick.

_Am

__

You put the fun in "funnel" - craichead.

[dreamsville 0]

Please all, just work at improving your skills and trying stuff at a level you can handle. I left early to take a USPA director to O'Hare, and that was the only thing that saved me from otherwise staying seeing this awful event.

Please, no one forget that if you make a move you can't handle, that prayers, memories, and grief will be all we have left of you. In the long run you'll have more fun, and you'll get over not having made the attempt at something that is beyond your CURRENT ability. You'll find stuff you can do and love to do soon enough, but remember you already have some of that. That's why we jump.

Thanks for your thoughts and update Chris. Keep us posted.

Harry

I don't drink during the day, so I don't know what it is about this airline. I keep falling out the door of the plane.

Harry, FB #4143

[diverdriver 7]

From the Chicago Tribue:

Here

July 15, 2002

OTTAWA, Ill. -- A 33-year-old Indiana man was killed in a skydiving accident
here, the sixth skydiver to die in just over a year while jumping with
Skydive Chicago.

Ron Passmore Jr. of Butler, Ind., was killed Sunday when he apparently tried
to land in a pond but struck the water too hard, LaSalle County Coroner Jody
Bernard said. Several people pulled Passmore from the water, and he was
taken to Ottawa Community Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

The accident happened at about 4:15 p.m. near Ottawa, which is about 70
miles southwest of Chicago.

Skydive Chicago is one of the nation's largest skydiving operations with
about 75,000 jumps a year. Passmore was the sixth person to die while
jumping with the outfit since July 9, 2001.

The U.S. Parachute Association says there are about 30 skydiving deaths per
year in the United States. Americans make more than 3 million jumps a year,
meaning the risk of death is about 1 in 110,000.
Copyright © 2002, Chicago Tribune

[freeflycracker 0]

Most of you have seen that pond. Id say if your not a swooper ( hell even if you are) thats not the place to start. There has to be a good 5-6' of elevation on the sides

[hobbes4star 0]

blue skies.....

if fun were easy it wouldn't be worth having, right?

[dzbum 0]

It was an unfortunate accident indeed and one can only wonder why a person would try something such as this that is clearly beyond his abilities. I was flying the plane that Ron jumped from, all of us aboard watched as the two before him splashed, and then he, which to say the least was huge, even from our view at ten grand. After watching the video later that night it was apparent that he came in way to low, almost hitting the deck with his feet and never flaring, not even at a foot over the water and a 45 degree angle.
Blue skies Ron~
Chris-

It's good to be the pilot.