A tragic skydiving accident in Eloy, Arizona took the life of a seasoned adventurer, 73-year-old Terry Gardner from Casa Grande. Gardner was attempting what was supposed to be a routine formation jump from an altitude of 14,000 feet with a group of fellow skydivers this past Wednesday. According to 12News, the group's efforts to complete the formation were unsuccessful, but everyone besides Gardner landed without incident.
After deploying his parachute, Gardner suffered complications leading to a hard landing, as reported by the Eloy Police Department. Rushed to the hospital following the accident, Gardner succumbed to his injuries. According to a statement obtained by FOX 10 Phoenix, "unexpected complications arose," when Gardner's parachute deployed, indicating a potentially fatal malfunction.
This incident marks a sorrowful repetition for the Eloy area, coming just weeks on the heels of another deadly event where four individuals met their end in a hot air balloon crash on January 14. The Federal Aviation Administration is set to perform an inspection of Gardner's failed parachute to determine what went wrong during the jump.
"The group had planned a formation jump from an altitude of approximately 14,000 feet," police said, indicating that while their formation didn't come together, it likely did not contribute to Gardner's death. It's the examination by the Federal Aviation Administration, unexpected complications arisen, that will shed light on whether there were any technical issues with Gardner's parachute equipment.
