California parachutist dies near Nevada border

Sunday, Sept. 19, 1999 | 2:27 a.m.

The 28-year-old man from San Jose was killed Saturday evening in a jump near Beckwourth about 20 miles west of the Nevada border.

The victim and two companions had chartered a plane from the Nervino Airport in Beckwourth to spend the day sky diving. They were on their fifth jump of the day when the accident occurred about 6 p.m.

The companions said the victim exited the plane smoothly. His chute deployed properly but he landed too fast while attempting some aerial acrobatics, they said.

A Care Flight helicopter picked him up and took him to Washoe Medical Center in Reno, Nev., where he was declared dead about 8 p.m. Saturday.

A dispatcher for the Plumas County Sheriff's Office said Sunday there was no immediate confirmation of the victim's name.

archive