Skydiving Trainer Killed Following Plummeting Without Parachute in Nashville
Federal aviation authorities is looking into the death of a skydiving instructor after he became separated from his student during a dive in Music City, TN.
Police report trainer Justin Fuller "appears to have fallen from the sky without a safety chute" during the dive on the weekend.
The instructor, 35, appeared to have detached from his student and a dual harness, which connects the two during a dive and contains the parachute.
A law enforcement aircraft found Fuller's body in a forested zone hours later. Local emergency crews utilized multiple pieces of equipment to reach the 46-year old client who lived through the descent after being trapped on a tree for some time with the emergency parachute.
Officials stated several additional jumps, which took place near a local airport, were carried out without incident prior to the deadly incident. The plane from which they jumped also landed safely.
It is unclear how Mr Fuller, an experienced skydiver, got detached from the protective gear.
A man who helped rescue teams in the operation told a local television station the student who officials rescued said "it was his first jump, and it was going to be his final one".
The instructor had previously posted about his enthusiasm for teaching others how to parachute.
"Teaching people to parachute has consistently been in my opinion the most satisfying role at the drop zone," the instructor said in an social media update in the summer.
"Observing students figure it out and begin maneuvering their selves is always a touching experience. Occasionally though, it can become quite chaotic up there when you let someone go for their initial attempt."
During that period he shared images of the wreckage a jump aircraft he was on saying the aircraft's motor had malfunctioned after take off. All 20 people aboard lived through the incident.
