Man reportedly helping "train the trainer" for CF dies in parachute accident

[The Bread Guy]

From the Riverside (CA) Press-Enterprise:

A longtime skydiving instructor was one of two parachutists who fell to their deaths Thursday after their parachutes collided over Perris Valley Airport.

Patrick McGowan had worked with Skydive Perris for almost two decades and oversaw parachuting activities at the airport.

The collision appears to have happened 300 to 400 feet above the ground, said the Riverside County Sheriff's Department in a news release. The parachutes collided, deflating both. Neither reinflated and the men fell.

A rescue crew from the Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department was alerted to the incident at 3:36 p.m., said Melody Hendrickson, a Cal Fire spokeswoman, in a news release.

When firefighters arrived at the popular skydiving venue, they found airport personnel administering CPR. Both men were pronounced dead at 4 p.m., Cal Fire said.

Scott Smith, western regional director of the U.S. Parachute Association, said Smith was a veteran skydiver and instructor.

"He had over 17,000 jumps," Smith said.

The other man was identified by Riverside County sheriff's as Christopher David Stasky, 42, of San Diego. Smith said he was helping McGowan train parachute instructors for the Canadian military ....

More in statements from the area fire department here and the sheriff's office here.

 

[The Bread Guy]

And in the "headline doesn't quite match the story" category from CBC.ca:

2 skydivers die while training Canadian soldiers
Two skydivers fell hundreds of feet to their deaths after colliding over a California airport while training parachute instructors for the Canadian military, the head of a local parachute organization says.

The men's parachutes collided and deflated some 300 to 400 feet in the air above Perris Valley Airport in Riverside County, sending the men plummeting to the ground, the Riverside County Sheriff's Department said.

Emergency workers tried to resuscitate the men but they were pronounced dead on the scene at 4 p.m. Thursday.

The sheriff-coroner's office identified the men as Patrick James McGowan of Menifee and Christopher David Stasky of San Diego, both 42.

Scott Smith, western regional director of the U.S. Parachute Association, told the Riverside Press-Enterprise that McGowan had worked with Skydive Perris as an instructor for almost two decades and oversaw parachuting activities at the airport.

"He had over 17,000 jumps," Smith told the newspaper.

Smith said Stasky was helping McGowan train parachute instructors for Canada's military ....

 

[riggermade]

I suspect you are going to find they were involved in the Skyhawk training as Pat Mcgowan was involved with this for years and it is that time of year

 

[armyvern]

I suspect you are going to find they were involved in the Skyhawk training as Pat Mcgowan was involved with this for years and it is that time of year

Yep; it`s that time of year for the Team.

Nothing posted on the rigger page yet, but I suspect the comments will come as most who`ve done their time with the Skyhawks are familiar with the deceased.

My condolances to their families, friends and the Perris Valley skydiving community.

 

[Armymedic]

Skyhawks and also Pathfinder instructor refresher tng.

Let us use their deaths to remember that it is a dangerous sport, regardless of the thousands of times you may have done it.