Oak Fire Smokejumper Accident Fatality 1970

On June 3, 1970, a group of 12 smokejumpers were sent from the Redding Smokejumper Base to the Oak Fire on the Shast-Trinity National Forest, to provide reinforcements for the 3 smokejumpers who had previously initial attacked the fire. During jumping operations, a smokejumper behind Thomas Regenitter noticed that Regenitter's feet became entangled in his own static line, the line that connects the smokejumper to the aircraft and automatically deploys the parachute as the smokejumper exits the aircraft. Regenitter stumbled as he approached the open aircraft door, then tripped and fell head first out of the door. Shortly afterward, Regenitter's helmet was observed falling through the air, and Regenitter was hagning limp under a deployed parachute. Smokejumpers found Regenitter in a semi-seated position at the jump spot, and began emergency medical care. They determined he was unresponsive with no pulse. A helispot was constructed and a doctor was flown to the site from Weaverville. The doctor pronounced Regenitter dead at the jump spot. In the investigation that followed the accident, it was determined that Regenitter's static line crossed the front of Regenitter's helmet as he awkwardly fell out of the aircraft, and the shock of parachute deployment broke his neck.