Skydiver Killed In Canopy Formation Record Attempt | 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-06.23.25

Airborne-NextGen-06.24.25

AirborneUnlimited-06.25.25

Airborne-AffordableFlyers-06.26.25

AirborneUnlimited-06.27.25

Fri, Nov 23, 2007

Skydiver Killed In Canopy Formation Record Attempt

Was Severely Injured During Practice Jump

A new skydiving record was clouded this week by the death of one of the jumpers.

The Lakeland (FL) Ledger reports skydiver Joseph Lambraith of Gilbert, AZ died Tuesday from injuries he suffered during a practice jump last weekend.

Lambraith was one of 100 parachutists attempting to set a new canopy skydiving record at Lake Wales Airport. To create the 'canopy', jumpers parachute from aircraft at staggered altitudes, then join with other skydivers inflight -- with those who jumped from higher altitudes hooking their feet into the lines of parachutes of jumpers beneath them.

Lambraith, an experienced skydiver with around 5,000 jumps, was among a small group of skydivers practicing for the record November 17, when his foot became entangled in the lines of a parachute below him.

The skydiver whose canopy Lambraith struck landed safely, after releasing his main 'chute and pulling his reserve. Lake Wales firefighter Mike Sykes told The Ledger Lambraith was unable to free himself from the other 'chute, and "spiraled out of control" and impacted the ground hard.

An ambulance transported Lambraith to a local hospital. He suffered a ruptured aorta, ruptured spleen, and several broken bones in the fall.

The Polk County Sheriffs Department confirmed Wednesday Lambraith died from his injuries the day before.

"Joe was a great skydiver and a great competitor," said Mike Lewis, one of the event organizers. "I've known him for 25 years. It's tough."

The remaining skydivers set the record shortly before noon Wednesday. One hundred jumpers created a diamond formation close to 200 feet wide and 200 feet high -- large enough to show up on radar.

FMI: www.uspa.org/

Advertisement

More News

NTSB Prelim: Piper PA-23

Pilot Also Reported That Due To A Fuel Leak, The Auxiliary Fuel Tanks Were Not Used On June 4, 2025, at 13:41 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-23, N2109P, was substantially damage>[...]

ANN FAQ: Submit a News Story!

Have A Story That NEEDS To Be Featured On Aero-News? Here’s How To Submit A Story To Our Team Some of the greatest new stories ANN has ever covered have been submitted by our>[...]

Classic Aero-TV: One Man’s Vietnam

From 2023 (YouTube Edition): Reflections on War’s Collective Lessons and Cyclical Nature The exigencies of war ought be colorblind. Inane social-constructs the likes of racis>[...]

ANN's Daily Aero-Linx (07.03.25)

Aero Linx: Colorado Pilots Association (CPA) Colorado Pilots Association was incorporated as a Colorado Nonprofit Corporation in 1972. It is a statewide organization with over 700 >[...]

ANN's Daily Aero-Term (07.03.25): High Speed Taxiway

High Speed Taxiway A long radius taxiway designed and provided with lighting or marking to define the path of aircraft, traveling at high speed (up to 60 knots), from the runway ce>[...]

blog comments powered by Disqus



Advertisement

Advertisement

Podcasts

Advertisement

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