News

Actions

Experienced Skydiver Dies During Jump in Marshall

Posted at 5:55 PM, Jul 06, 2014
and last updated 2014-07-06 19:41:43-04

MARSHALL, Mich. (July 6, 2014) —  A man has died after skydiving at Brooks Airfield in Marshall on Sunday.

A friend of the victim said that the man had over 50 years of skydiving experience.

FOX 17 is told that the victim travels to several different locations to jump and is from Indiana.

The airfield is home to “Skydive Michigan Inc.”. We are told that the company charters planes for students and experienced skydivers, and is mostly open on the weekends and has been operating out of Brooks Field since 1993.

The Marshall Police Department said that the victim is in his 70’s and that his family in Indiana has been notified.

Law enforcement responded at about 11 a.m. to the area of Pratt and Woolley Drive.

The victim was pronounced dead at the scene.

The vice chair of the Brooks Field Airport Board, Steve Buller tells FOX 17 that the board will look into any misconduct by “Skydive Michigan”, and if a staff error is discovered, the board could recommend that the Marshall City Council terminate the company’s lease at the field.

The FAA tells FOX 17 that it will investigate to determine if there was any pilot error involved or if there was a mechanical problem with the plane.

Marshall Police, the Calhoun County Medical Examiner’s Office and the FAA are investigating what caused the man’s death.