The Federal Aviation Administration is now assisting the Greene County Sheriff’s Office with the investigation. Initials reports show that Nelson died from a head injury and may have hit the ground going as fast as 40 mph.
Austin Kiefer, 12, was at Skydive Greene County and watched Nelson fall from the sky.
Kiefer said, “All the guys rushing around. They cut his parachute off and then got his helmet off and said he was bleeding.”
Robin Heider works at the business and said Nelson was an experienced skydiver who has made at least 500 jumps. Heider said Nelson was attempting an advanced maneuver called the swoop.
Heider said, “The whole idea behind swooping is that you go as fast as you can, and as close to the ground as you can for as long as you can.”
Heider said Nelson’s parachute worked properly, but there was something wrong with his form.
He was attempting a maneuver to build up some speed and did not complete his turn, Heider said.
Skydive Greene County has been operating since 1961. It is one of the oldest skydiving operations in the country and the oldest drop zone in the Midwest.
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