Skydiving Instructor Dies in Tragic Accident in Tennessee

A Tennessee skydiving instructor met a fatal end during a tandem jump when he became separated from his student and fell without a parachute.

Justin Fuller, 35, was discovered deceased on Saturday in a wooded area in Nashville following the unfortunate incident. Fortunately, his student survived the fall but was found stuck in a tree, still attached to the harness.

Authorities believe the tragedy occurred when the harness they were both wearing got caught as they exited the aircraft.

“The instructor is estimated to have fallen from the sky without a parachute,” reported the Metro Nashville Police Department.

Fuller’s body was recovered just a few hours later. It was noted that the first responder had to climb a tall ladder to rescue the student, who was described as alert and stable despite being trapped for several hours.

Three other skydivers who jumped alongside them managed to land safely, according to police. The Federal Aviation Administration is currently looking into what caused this tragic event.

Notably, equipment used during the jump didn’t show any signs of defects. With more than 5,000 jumps to his name, Fuller, known as “Spidey,” was passionate about teaching others how to skydive. In a social media post from June, he expressed how rewarding it was to teach newcomers, mentioning that seeing them take flight for the first time was particularly heartwarming, though sometimes chaotic.