Skydiving Incident Leads to Fatality in Washington State

A tragic incident occurred on Sunday when a skydiver died following a midair collision between two participants. The event took place around 5:30 p.m. near Colville in northeast Washington, as reported by the Adams County Sheriff’s Office.

According to authorities, the collision happened during a scheduled group jump involving multiple people. Several staff members witnessed the accident and observed the victim become unresponsive during the descent.

“Authorities are investigating a fatal skydiving incident at West Plains Skydiving involving two jumpers during a scheduled group jump,” stated the ACSO in a Facebook post.

The office confirmed that deputies at the scene learned about a midair collision, resulting in one skydiver, identified as Randy Hubbs from Kennewick, dying. A second skydiver, Nicole Klein from Colville, sustained injuries and required medical treatment.

Authorities followed Hubbs from approximately 500 feet above ground after the collision. Preliminary investigations indicated that Hubbs became incapacitated after colliding with Klein. Witnesses reported that his head and arms became limp after the impact.

Hubbs drifted away from the designated drop zone, disappearing northward past a hill. Subsequently, Adams County Dispatch received reports of a medical emergency involving two injured skydivers.

Deputies responded to the location and conducted an investigation. Hubbs was later released into the care of the Adams County Coroner’s Office. Officials noted that weather conditions did not seem to influence the incident.

West Plains Skydiving reported that both jumpers were experienced in the sport, using their own equipment. Hubbs had completed over 800 jumps, while Klein had about 900 under her belt.

“We offer our deepest condolences to those impacted by this incident,” the ACSO expressed.

The investigation into the incident continues.