Gilbert man dead following parachuting incident: Eloy PD
ELOY, Ariz. - Eloy Police officials say a Phoenix area man is dead following a parachuting incident on Feb. 1.
What we know:
Per a statement posted to social media, police say they responded to the area of Hanna and Tweedy Road for a report of a parachutist who experienced a hard landing.
Officials say the man, identified as 46-year-old Shawn Bowen of Gilbert, died from his injuries. They also say Bowen's wife has been notified of what had happened.
Timeline:
Investigators said based on preliminary information, Bowen made a jump at around 11:40 a.m. using what was described as a "wing suit-type apparatus."
"During freefall, for reasons that remain unknown at this time, his parachute did not deploy, resulting in a fatal impact," read a portion of the statement.
What's next:
Eloy Police say an investigation is underway to "determine the factors contributing to this accident."
"Investigators are currently interviewing witnesses and coordinating with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), as is standard protocol in incidents of this nature," read a portion of the statement.
Similar incident happened recently
This is not the first deadly skydiving accident in the area recently.
Dig deeper:
On Jan. 29, we reported that 55-year-old Ann Wick died in a skydiving incident.
Witnesses say the woman's parachute fully deployed, but it’s still unclear what happened. The FAA and other agencies are looking into the equipment and procedures surrounding Wick's death.
Skydiving instructor weighs in
In the wake of these recent incidents, there is a conversation to be had about safety.
Local perspective:
Figures from the United States Parachute Association show that skydiving deaths are very, very infrequent, with 10 deaths reported in the more than 3.5 million jumps in 2023.
Skydiving instructor Josh Zerlan, whom we spoke with Zerlan recently about his times jumping with Wick, said this week has shaken the tight-knit community.
"It's a very personal thing when someone dies in the sport, and everyone hears about it very quickly because it's so rare. It's pretty surprising, especially two that close together. I do know this latest incident involved a wing suit, and that comes with additional risks," said Zerlan. It should be noted that Zerlan did not know Bowen.
Zerlan said one of the risks with wing suits involve what is called a ‘wing suit burble,’ or turbulence that can interfere with the deployment of a main chute.
"Usually, if the parachute doesn't deploy in a wing suit, you'd typically go to your reserve immediately. I do know a problem with that, especially depending on the wing suit design, it's difficult to reach your reserve handle," Zerlan said.
Skydive Arizona reported that Bowen had more than 200 jumps under his belt, and packed his own chute, something Zerlan recommends experienced parachutists do.
"When you have someone else do it, you don't necessarily know what they're doing. I know the packers at Eloy are professionals, they do a very good job. I've had my parachute packed many times by them."
While investigators work toward more answers in these two fatal incidents, Zerlan says his hope is that headlines don't deter people from trying skydiving.
"I don't want people to be afraid of giving it a try," said Zerlan. "It's great, and everyone should try it at least once, and maybe you don't like it, that's OK, but at least give it a shot."