Skydiving Instructor Dies Following Falling Without Parachute in Nashville
The Federal Aviation Administration is looking into the death of a skydiving instructor after he got detached from his student during a jump in Music City, TN.
Authorities report trainer the instructor "appears to have dropped from the air without a parachute" during the dive on Saturday.
The instructor, 35, appeared to have separated from his student and a dual harness, which connects the pair during a dive and includes the safety gear.
A police helicopter located Fuller's body in a forested zone some time after. The Nashville Fire Department utilized several ladders to reach the 46-year old student who lived through the fall after being trapped on a tree for hours with the emergency parachute.
Officials said three other dives, which took place near Nashville's John C Tune airport, were successfully completed before the fatal fall. The plane from which they jumped also touched down without issue.
The cause remains unknown how Mr Fuller, an seasoned parachutist, got detached from the protective gear.
A individual who assisted rescue teams in the rescue informed a media outlet the client who authorities rescued mentioned "he was a first-time jumper, and it was going to be his last".
The instructor had previously posted about his enthusiasm for teaching others how to skydive.
"Instructing individuals to skydive has consistently been in my opinion the most rewarding job at the jump site," the instructor wrote in an Instagram post in June.
"Watching them figure it out and begin maneuvering their bodies is always a heartwarming moment. Sometimes though, it can get a little hectic up there when you release a student for their first time."
That same month he shared photos of the wreckage a skydiving plane he was on noting the aircraft's motor had malfunctioned after take off. Every individual aboard survived.
