Anyone ever die in Airborne school?

Question

Or how many people in Airborne has died because there Parachute failed to open? Where can I find info on this statistic?...Thanks.

Answer 1

I don't imagine the statistics are published... lol.
I've jumped 30 times and had two malfunctions on square shutes. One I had to go to my reserve chute on, and the other I rode it down. It happens. I'm sure people have died, but I'd bet money that the stats are far less than jumping in civilian life.

Answer 2

In the Army ( late 60's . . yes, Viet Nam.), I wasn't airborne, just skydived for fun in a club based at Ft. Myers. The planes were all either Beavers or Chinook helicopters with pilots getting their flying hours in. But, two of my club were Golden Knights (the Army's official skydive team) and we all shared stories. The big story was about a night drop exercise at either Fort Gordon or Bragg. Our training had always been to release the Capewells (shackles holding the pack to the parachute) 8 to 10 feet before hitting the water, so as to not get smothered by the chute.On one night exercise, the hundreds of jumpers were released over a newly paved (ashpalt) runway which appeared to be water in the darkness, To further compound the tragedy,depth perception is totally unreliable in such conditions.

The word was . . that many trainees thought they saw water below them (the fresh asphalt) and released their Capewells (chutes) from 10 to 100 feet above the ground. The word was also that there were many deaths.

Following this, there were changes made. Does anyone have more information about this tragic "happening"? When? Which fort? etc.?

Yeah, I also had other things happen, as well . . a Mae West that I rode down. There was also an 11 y-o son of a major who didn't open his chute in time . . and died . . . Didn't realize how close to the ground he was. I wasn't there that day. Even though a medic, there was nothing I could have done had I been there. Another who came down between high tension wires . . well, suspended, actually. He was okay. All of this was on the same ground that the famous "Battle of Bull Run" had been fought . . Manassas, Virginia. So much history . . so many young men dead . . so many families in pain . . . so much joy in the sport . . on a site of so much loss . . and even a new one in 1967.

If anyone knows more of any of this, please share . . .

Answer 3

I went through the Airborne Course in 1970. I don't recall being informed of any specific deaths in the course, but I don't think the Army is likely to make that kind of information available to the general public.

However, I assume that a large portion of the procedure and many safety precautions taken these days is a result of accidents and the response to keep them from happening again.

Jump pay is "hazardous duty" pay. Once you enter the Airborne School, you get the extra pay because there are risks. Even if everything else were to be perfectly safe, your own carelessness or inattention can result in pain.

Answer 4

I had a job at Fort Bragg Range Control once while convalescing from an injury and there was a cigarette roll malfunction out on one of the big DZs, Normandy, Sicily or Holland, can't remember which one now. We called the Medevac in. That is the only parachute malfunction I know of personally that resulted in a death.
Usually the malfunctions were Mae Wests and poor operator headspace like counting too fast and pulling the reserve or getting stuck in another guys risers usually resulting in injury but not death.

I doubt if that info is public but you might try the GAO.

Answer 5

I'm somewhere around 80 jumps and I've seen some dangerous things go on and I've seen some people get hurt but it's never been because a parachute failed to open. The most common issue I see is mid air collisions. That happens when one or both of the jumpers don't pay attention to other jumpers around them.

Answer 6

Yes to both, but most parachutists fatalities are due to operator malfunction rather than equipment malfunction.

One guy had a failed main and a failed reserve during a fun jump at Bragg and walked to his wife in his car, rode home and was watching TV when the military caught up with him to check on him.

It's very rare for both chutes to fail.

Answer 7

There were in 3RAR Airborne when the Regiment was based at the Liverpool Military Area, Sydney

Answer 8

Of course their has been deaths In Airborne training just like any training in the Armed Forces

Answer 9

I was in the 82nd abn. div. for 4 years
and saw many malfunctions.
It's just a risk you take.
Have confidence in your self and your equipment.
And like NIKE says, JUST DO IT!
I had 2 minor malfunctions in 4 years. (68 Jumps)
You do the math.

P.S. You also have an extra reserve chute.

Answer 10

Chute failure does occur, even worse when the plane goes in and you are to low to jump.

Its a risk you have to be prepaired for.