A 36-year-old Colorado man was killed over the weekend in a skydiving accident after both his primary and reserve parachutes failed to deploy.
Officials said the death occurred at around 3:27 p.m. Saturday near the Longmont Airport — about 40 miles north of Denver — and that the man was wearing a wingsuit at the time of his death. The Federal Aviation Administration was notified of the incident, but they did not respond to the scene.
The identity of the victim, who was from a mountain community near Denver, has been withheld pending notification of next of kin. The Longmont Police Department and the Boulder County Coroner’s Office will be working with the FAA as the investigation continues.
Longmont Public Safety said the plane the man jumped out of was operated by Mile High Skydiving. The city has brought up concerns in the past about the company's safety record after several fatal incidents, including the death of a 23-year-old man in 2018. However, skydiving is regulated through the FAA and because of that, the city is limited on what action it can take.
Other deaths connected to the company include a July 2022 incident and a June 2019 dive, according to FAA records. The company's website says it has been in business since 1995 and is based out of the Longmont Airport.
This story was originally published by Robert Garrison at Scripps News Denver.
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