How safe is skydiving?
Like any outdoor sport, skydiving involves inherent risk but proper preparation and good judgment can minimize the vast majority of them. Many think that equipment failure causes most skydiving accidents, but the reality is that the vast majority are a result of simple human error. Many of the accidents occur because the jumper—oftentimes an experienced skydiver who is pushing the limits— makes an error in judgement while landing a perfectly functioning parachute. (Just as automobile accidents are not usually the result of equipment failure, but rather operator mistakes.)
What about jumping out of a “perfectly good” skydiving aircraft?
Skydiving operations have a much lower aircraft accident rate than general aviation. Skydive jump pilots receive thorough training prior to flying skydivers and that training must include aircraft-specific systems, preflight inspections, weight and balance considerations and proper fuel management. Skydivers receive instruction on how to respond to aircraft emergencies during their initial student training, and most skydiving centers reinforce this training at various times of the year. In the past 10 years, there have been eight fatal aircraft accidents related to skydiving with 25 total fatalities.
