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Skydiving Instructor Dies in Nashville Accident

Student survives after tandem rig malfunction, but the FAA investigation is hampered by funding lapse.

Skydiving instructor Justin Fuller was killed in a tandem jump attempt accident. [Credit: Facebook]
Skydiving instructor Justin Fuller was killed in a tandem jump attempt accident. [Credit: Facebook]
Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • A skydiving instructor, Justin Fuller, died during a tandem jump in Nashville after reportedly falling to earth without a parachute.
  • Preliminary reports suggest Fuller and his student may have become stuck on the side of the aircraft; Fuller separated from the rig, while the student's emergency parachute deployed.
  • The student survived with minimal non-life-threatening injuries after being rescued from a tall tree by the Nashville Fire Department.
  • Authorities are investigating the incident involving Fuller, an experienced instructor with over 5,000 jumps, though FAA communication is limited due to a lapse in funding.
See a mistake? Contact us.

Authorities in Nashville, Tennessee, are investigating the accident that killed a skydiving instructor over the weekend.

According to the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department, instructor Justin Fuller, 35, from Murfreesboro, Tennessee, fell to earth without a parachute. 

Meg Godlewski

Meg Godlewski has been an aviation journalist for more than 24 years and a CFI for more than 20 years. If she is not flying or teaching aviation, she is writing about it. Meg is a founding member of the Pilot Proficiency Center at EAA AirVenture and excels at the application of simulation technology to flatten the learning curve. Follow Meg on Twitter @2Lewski.

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