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45m ago

Instructor Dies in Nashville Tandem Skydive as Student Is Rescued From Tree

The FAA has opened an investigation, with Go Skydive Nashville cooperating.

Crews rescue a skydiver whose parachute became entangled in a tree following a fatal accident in Nashville on Saturday.
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Skydiving Instructor Dies After Getting Separated From Student
Romulus Rood was driving along Ashland City Highway when he saw the emergency response vehicles lining the road and stopped to see what was happening. After an officer learned Rood had tree climbing gear in his truck, Rood said they enlisted his help to get the stranded parachuter out of the tree.

Overview

  • Police say the 35-year-old instructor became separated from a tandem rig during a coordinated jump near Nashville and fell without a parachute.
  • An MNPD helicopter crew located the instructor deceased in a wooded clearing off the 4500 block of Ashland City Highway.
  • The 46-year-old student was found lodged high in a tree with an open parachute and was rescued after hours, reported awake, alert and in stable condition.
  • The FAA is investigating the incident and public updates may be limited due to reduced federal communications during the government shutdown.
  • Authorities have not formally released the instructor’s name despite some outlets publishing one, and industry data show fatalities are rare, with 9 deaths in 3.88 million reported skydives in 2024.