Paul Thompson
Date: September 15, 1994 Nationality: American
Object Type: Earth
Location: Lake Powell, Arizona, USA
COD: Strike (canopy)
Clothes / Suit: Normal Clothes

Description:

This is an experienced skydiver who went along on a week long BASE trip as ground crew. Later in the week he expressed an interest in making a BASE jump himself. His jump resulted in a wall strike. He is pulled from the water and later he died. This jump resulted in manslaughter charges and law suits between jumpers and Park Service officials. The jumper's contention is Lake Powell is legal for sea-plane landings so should be legal for parachute landings as well.

Update: On the afternoon of September 15th, rangers received a cellular phone request for medical assistance for a person with life-threatening injuries who'd fallen from a cliff near the mouth of the Escalante arm of Lake Powell. Upon arrival, they found that Paul Thompson, 51, of Dixon, California, had already expired. Thompson was part of a group of seven BASE jumpers who'd made several parachute jumps from the cliff face just south of the Escalante confluence. Witnesses said that his chute deployed upon jumping, but that Thompson got twisted around and struck the cliff face several times because of the parachute's pendulum effect.

If you have a picture of this jumper please contact us.

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