Alaska Smokejumper Practice Jump Accident Fatality 1966

Arden Davis, Jr., a smokejumper based in Fairbanks, Alaska, was killed by strangulation in a practice jump near College, Alaska. Davis was in his second season with the Alaska Smokejumpers, engaging in practice training with other returning smokejumpers. During that practice jump, jumpers were exiting the Douglas DC-3 in three-person groups or "sticks" and attempting to land in a 20-acre clearing on the University of Alaska Experimental Farm. The three jumpers in Davis' stick all landed in trees, with Davis far away from the others. The two others in Davis' stick freed their parachutes and the rest of the planeload of smokejumpers landed around the jump spot. Still Davis was not seen or heard from. His fellow smokejumpers assumed he was in a tree and freeing himself and his parachute. Eventually alarm was raised at Davis' continued absence, and he was located hanging in a tree. Davis was cut down and attempts at resuscitation were made but were unsuccessful. It was determined that during his letdown procedures from the tree, a line of his parachute was looped under his helmet, and he strangled to death.