LONGMONT, Colorado – A professional skydiver died after her main and backup parachutes malfunctioned during a competition, sending her into an uncontrolled spin to the ground, officials said.
Mariann Kramer, 37, suffered multiple blunt force injuries and died Saturday, Boulder County Coroner Thomas Faure said Sunday.
She and at least 13 other competitors had jumped out of a plane at about 5,000 feet (1,500 meters) as part of a tournament in swooping, which involves complicated aerobatics as competitors glide near the ground at high speeds.
The Pro Swooping Tour event was held at the Mile-Hi Skydiving Center.
Charissa Muilenburg, the student coordinator at the center, said Kramer cut away her main chute after it failed and deployed a reserve chute, which also malfunctioned.
"For the reserve to fail as well, it's probably a million to one," Muilenburg said.
Kramer had previously jumped as many as 4,000 times, Muilenburg said.
Kramer, of McKinney, Texas, was flown to Denver Health Medical Center, where she underwent surgery to treat internal injuries.
Muilenburg said the Federal Aviation Administration and the U.S. Parachute Association would investigate.
U.S. Parachute Association members reported making nearly 2.2 million jumps last year, when 27 deaths were reported, according to the group.
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