Police: Skydiving Instructor Dies in Fall Without Parachute in Nashville

The instructor was connected to the skydiver with a tandem rig and the skydiver was rescued from a tree.

Oct. 5, 2025

2 min read

Jennifer Rodriguez
The Charlotte Observer
(TNS)

One person is dead and another was rescued during a tragic skydiving incident in Tennessee.

Firefighters responded to reports of a skydiver in distress on Oct. 4, the Nashville Fire Department said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.

The man was stuck in a tree with an open parachute in a wooded area, the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department said in a post on X.

In an update, the fire department said the jumper was rescued and freed from a harness after being stuck for hours. He was helped down a ladder and was in stable condition.

Police said the man had been separated from a tandem rig, which is a parachute system, with an instructor.

“The instructor is presumed to have fallen from the sky without a parachute,” police said.

The instructor was not located right away, but an update from police said the 35-year-old instructor was found dead in a wooded area.

Go Skydive Nashville said in a statement to WZTV that it is cooperating with authorities investigating the incident.

“The identity of the deceased is being withheld pending notification of next of kin. Go Skydive Nashville remains dedicated to maintaining the highest standards of training, safety, and professionalism. At this time, the team is focused on supporting those affected by this tragedy,” the business told the outlet.

Three other skydivers who jumped and the plane landed safely, police said.

The man who was rescued was taken to a hospital as a precaution, according to firefighters.