It Wasn't Parachute Failure | Aero-News Network
Aero-News Network
RSS icon RSS feed
podcast icon MP3 podcast
Subscribe Aero-News e-mail Newsletter Subscribe

Airborne Unlimited -- Most Recent Daily Episodes

Episode Date

Airborne-Monday

Airborne-Tuesday

Airborne-Wednesday Airborne-Thursday

Airborne-Friday

Airborne On YouTube

Airborne-Unlimited-02.10.25

Airborne-NextGen-02.11.25

Airborne-Unlimited-02.12.25

Airborne-AffordableFlyers-02.13.25

Airborne-Unlimited-02.14.25

Sun, Jul 06, 2003

It Wasn't Parachute Failure

UK Police Say It Was sabotage

Who handled Stephen Hilder's parachute just before his last, fatal jump? That question haunts police and defense investigators in the United Kingdom, as they investigate the 20-year old Defense Academy cadet's murder at an annual parachuting competition Friday.

Hilder was a veteran skydiver, with more than 200 jumps under his belt. He was also a member of the Army Parachute Association, one of the oldest skydiving clubs in the world. So, when young Hilder hit the ground at something close to terminal velocity, investigators in Shrivenham, near Swindon, Wiltshire, became suspicious.

Leading the investigation, Detective Superintendent Colin Andrews with the Humberside Police Department, described Hilder's death as "horrendous."

"The parachute equipment had been tampered with before he jumped. This is extremely unusual," he told the London Independent.

Timeline To Murder

Hilder, who was described by friends as "extremely safety-conscious," checked his rig Wednesday night. He stored it in good working condition. But police say sometime between Wednesday and Friday's fatal jump, the parachute rig was sabotaged. So far, investigators have questioned more than 70 people, according to the Independent. They still want to talk with anyone who was on the airfield at Hibaldstow near Brigg, Humberside, during that two-day period.

Hilder was described by one APA associate as "a very nice man." His family near Hereford, England, are reportedly "devastated."

FMI: www.defenceacademy.mod.uk, www.netheravon.com

Advertisement

More News

Aero-News: Quote of the Day (02.15.25)

“Our continued growth, both domestically and internationally, is a testament to the strength of our product lineup and the trust our customers place in Piper. The increase in>[...]

ANN's Daily Aero-Linx (02.15.25)

Aero Linx: Cradle of Aviation Museum The Cradle of Aviation Museum is an aviation and spaceflight museum located in East Garden City, New York on Long Island to commemorate Long Is>[...]

ANN's Daily Aero-Linx (02.16.25)

Aero Linx: Museum of Flight - Seattle The Museum of Flight is the largest independent, non-profit air and space museum in the world! With over 175 aircraft and spacecraft, tens of >[...]

Airborne 02.14.25: MASSIVE Year 4 Piper, Martin Mars Fini, EA-18G Down

Also: Chinese Spy Balloon, Astro Homecoming Speeded Up, Flexjet Deal, Laser v Sheriff Chopper Piper Aircraft reported impressive company growth in 2024, hitting its highest deliver>[...]

Aero-News: Quote of the Day (02.16.25)

“The FAA is modifying FAA regulations in a way to help the industry do business with today’s technology...” Source: Scott McCreary, a member of NBAA’s Tax C>[...]

blog comments powered by Disqus



Advertisement

Advertisement

Podcasts

Advertisement

© 2007 - 2025 Web Development & Design by Pauli Systems, LC