70-year-old skydiver dead after mid-air collision with another jumper

A skydiver has died and another person has been injured after they collided mid-air during a team jump in Washington state, police said.

On Monday, the Adams County Sheriff’s Office said that authorities were investigating a fatal skydiving incident that occurred at West Plains Skydiving involving two jumpers during a scheduled group jump.

“According to information provided by West Plains Skydiving, the individuals involved were identified as Randy Hubbs, of the Kennewick area, and Nicole Klein, of the Colville area,” police said in a news release.

“Preliminary findings indicate an in-flight collision occurred between the two skydivers during descent. Following the collision, Randy Hubbs reportedly became incapacitated and was no longer in control of his parachute canopy,” police added.

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Police said that staff observed and tracked Hubbs from approximately 500 feet (about 152 metres) above ground level as he drifted north and away from the designated drop zone.

“Witnesses stated Hubbs appeared unresponsive, with his head and arms down, before disappearing beyond a hill northeast,” police said.

Officials stated that weather conditions were not considered a contributing factor in the incident. A total of 11 individuals participated in the jump operation.

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West Plains Skydiving, the skydiving company involved with the team, told Global News that the fatal incident occurred at approximately 6 p.m. local time on May 24 at Skydive West Plains and involved two licensed skydivers and that both jumped using their personally owned equipment.

“Eyewitnesses report that both jumpers experienced a normal free fall, and both deployed their parachutes without incident. At approximately 1,000 feet above the ground, and with neither jumper aware of the other’s position, both parachutes continued to fly,” the company said.

“However, one jumper did not appear responsive and did not provide the inputs necessary for a controlled landing,” West Plains Skydiving said.

The company said that the deceased 70-year-old male had approximately 800 jumps and had been a member of the Skydive West Plains community for several years.

The second skydiver, a 52-year-old female with approximately 900 jumps, sustained a hip injury and was transported to a local hospital, according to the company.

“Her injuries are not considered life-threatening and she is expected to make a full recovery,” West Plains Skydiving added.

Skydive West Plains management is fully co-operating with local authorities and the United States Parachute Association (USPA) as the investigation continues.

“The Skydive West Plains community is mourning the loss of a friend who has been part of the dropzone family for nearly a decade. The team’s thoughts are also with the second jumper and her family as she recovers,” the company added.

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In February, a world champion winged suit skydiver died after his parachute failed to deploy during a jump in the south of France.

Pierre Wolnik, 37, a two-time French freefly world champion, died after jumping from a helicopter in a wingsuit in the Mont Blanc massif region.

After a brief free fall, Wolnik’s parachute did not open, resulting in his death, French outlet Le Figaro reported.

His body was found in the village of Les Bossons, in the Chamonix valley. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Wingsuit flying is an extreme sport in which the diver wears a specialized suit with webbing between the legs and under the arms, allowing the wearer to glide at high speeds and reduce their rate of descent.

—with files from Global News’ Rachel Goodman