A skydiver practicing for a national competition died after crashing into a pond in Racine County, Wisconsin, on Sunday morning.
The 36-year-old man from Tennessee was conducting test runs at Skydive Midwest's property for the U.S. Parachute Association National Championships taking place this week when he descended at a wrong angle and made a hard landing in the pond, the Racine County Sheriff's Office said, according to WISN.
He was not conscious or breathing well when fellow skydivers pulled him from the water. First responders attempted life-saving measures, but the man never regained consciousness.
Witnesses said the parachute was deployed and that the man, whose name has been withheld, showed no visible signs of distress before or during the landing. They said he misjudged the angle of descent.
In a statement, Skydive Midwest noted that the man had logged over 750 jumps.
"The free fall portion of the skydive was uneventful as was the parachute deployment," the statement read, according to WTMJ. "During the landing sequence, the jumper initiated an advanced maneuver common with the discipline of Canopy Piloting but made an error resulting in a hard landing and fatal injuries. The jumper’s parachute and related equipment were functioning as designed."
The skydiving center said an investigation is underway.
"Skydiving is a niche sport with a strong community of fellowship. The staff of Skydive Midwest mourn the loss of a fellow jumper and offer condolences to the jumper’s family," the statement read.
In 2021, the United States Parachute Association recorded approximately 3.57 million jumps at more than 210 USPA-affiliated skydiving centers across the country. That year, there were 10 fatal skydiving accidents recorded, the lowest year on record. This is comparable to 2020, where participants made fewer jumps (2.8 million) and USPA recorded 11 fatalities.
"The reality is that the vast majority of skydiving accidents are a result of simple human error," the association said. "Many of the accidents occur because the jumper — oftentimes an experienced skydiver who is pushing the limits — makes an error in judgement while landing a perfectly functioning parachute."
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.