Man dies while skydiving at Skydive Deland

Witnesses say parachute failed, man didn't have time to deploy reserve chute

DELAND, Fla. – Deland police say a white man in his 60s has died after he went up for a skydive at Skydive Deland and his parachute failed.

The accident happened around 5 p.m. Wednesday.

Witnesses said he was not doing a tandem skydive, and when his parachute failed he did not have enough time to deploy his reserve chute.

The man has not been identified.

Skydive Deland is considered a world-class skydiving facility, but there have been several accidents since 2000.

There have been six deaths, three of those since 2008, and several more injuries.

Police are still investigating exactly what went wrong. FAA was notified, which is standard procedure, but it is unclear whether or not they will be taking over the investigation.