Aurora skydiver dies after collision at California event
Levi Pimentel, 29, and a skydiver from South Dakota were killed in a mid-air collision at Skydive Elsinore on Friday.
By Matthew Brooks ·
Residents of Aurora have lost a young skydiving instructor after a fatal accident at an event in California. Levi Pimentel, 29, died on Friday following a collision with another licensed skydiver at Skydive Elsinore in Lake Elsinore.
Pimentel and Georgia Jean, 56, of Box Elder, South Dakota, were identified by local authorities on Saturday. Both women held skydiving licenses. The incident occurred around noon on Friday, according to a statement from the dropzone.
Skydive Elsinore reported that the free fall and parachute deployment proceeded as planned. However, the two skydivers collided while preparing to land, approximately 150 feet above the ground. The company stated that their parachutes became entangled during the descent.
Both Pimentel and Jean sustained critical injuries upon impact with the ground. They were transported to a hospital, where they were pronounced dead. Pimentel was listed on LinkedIn as a lead instructor at iFLY Naperville, an indoor skydiving facility in the western suburbs.
The Federal Aviation Administration has been notified of the accident. The agency plans to collect the parachutes involved and conduct an investigation, according to the Lake Elsinore sheriff’s office. iFLY Naperville did not immediately respond to inquiries regarding the death of its instructor.
The accident marks a rare occurrence in a sport where mid-air entanglements are uncommon but potentially deadly. The FAA investigation will determine the specific mechanical or procedural causes of the collision.
