Teen Survives 3,500 Foot Freefall After Parachute Fails To Open

Discussion in 'Off Topic Discussion' started by DaBears22, Jan 28, 2014.

  1. DaBears22

    DaBears22 Matt Forte = future MVP Staff Member

    A Texas teenager's skydiving trip to celebrate her 16 th birthday turned nearly fatal when her parachute failed to open and she spun 3,500 feet to the ground.

    Mackenzie Wethington, 16, traveled from her home in Joshua, Texas, to Chickasha, Okla., with her father, Joe Wethington, to skydive at Pegasus Air Sport on Jan. 25. In Oklahoma, 16-year-olds are allowed to skydive with parental consent.

    "It was her dream," Mackenzie's sister, Meagan, told ABC affiliate WFAA. "So my dad said, 'On your 16 th birthday, I'll take you skydiving.'"

    But Mackenzie's parachute failed to open and she spun down to the ground, 3,500 feet below.

    Her sister, Meagan, remembers getting the call from their dad that there had been an accident.

    "He was like, 'Mackenzie's parachute didn't open up,'" she recalled. "And I was like, 'This is not funny.'"

    While Joe Wethington landed safely, his daughter's crash broke her vertebrae, shattered her pelvis and led to internal bleeding.

    She is now being treated in the intensive care unit at an Oklahoma City hospital, where officials say she is breathing on her own.

    Source: Yahoo
     
  2. DaBears22

    DaBears22 Matt Forte = future MVP Staff Member

    I went skydiving once, did a tandem jump with an instructor and jumped from 10,500 feet. The night before I had nightmares of this exact thing happening.

    What I can't understand is why was someone allowed to jump solo on their very first jump? I wonder if Oklahoma's law on this will change? It should.
     
  3. Steve12

    Steve12 The night is dark and full of terrors

    I really really really want to do this, so I'm going to hope my wife doesn't see this story. I really hope the girl is ok though.
     
  4. Diesel44

    Diesel44 Serial Killer

    there was a stewardness that got sucked out at 40,00 feet in the 1960s and landed on snow and survived while everybody else on the plane died. thank god this little girl survived.
    steve,you got more guts than me. i am terrified of heights.
     
  5. Kurt

    Kurt That Server Guy Staff Member Fantasy Guru

    Happy birthday to you
    Happy birthday to you
    Happy birthday dear Mackenzie
    Happy birthday to you....

    And many more????

    Ive always heard heroin is one hell of a rush. Ill try that for my 36th...
     
  6. ragman

    ragman Pro Bowler Fantasy Guru

    According to a Web story I just read from a local TV station, there was a static line attached to her parachute which would make it open automatically. Somehow, it failed. The father is getting legal counsel, saying that the equipment failed to work properly. The skydiving company denies anything was wrong.

    Here's the link for the story:

    http://www.myfoxdfw.com/story/24560...diving-accident-after-parachute-fails-to-open
     
  7. markaz

    markaz Resident Cards Fan Staff Member

    Whatever happened to a new used car, cake and balloons for a 16th?
     
  8. ragman

    ragman Pro Bowler Fantasy Guru

    That is old stuff, Mark.

    BTW, to skydive in Texas you have to be 18. You only have to be 16 in Oklahoma, which is the reason she went there in the first place.
     
  9. markaz

    markaz Resident Cards Fan Staff Member

    And safer too.
     
  10. Tarkus

    Tarkus The Thread Stalker

    I love you...now let me throw you out of a plane to show you how much. :rolleyes:
     
  11. ragman

    ragman Pro Bowler Fantasy Guru

    She and her father signed a waiver, so I don't think their legal action will work for them.
     
  12. Omen

    Omen Speeling Be Champions Staff Member

    Texas girls are tough
     
  13. ragman

    ragman Pro Bowler Fantasy Guru

    Here's an update. She is here in Dallas at a rehab facility. She is expected to be there for another week or two. Her doctors say she will make a full recovery.
     
  14. markaz

    markaz Resident Cards Fan Staff Member

    You can sign legally binding documents in the state of Texas at 16 years old? And this is probably what her father was introducing her to: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banzai_skydive
     
  15. Diesel44

    Diesel44 Serial Killer

    remember the girl a few years ago who's parachute failed,and survived? she was pregnant at the time,and landed on a pile of fire ants which stung her repeatedly forcing her body to release adrenalin which saved her,and the baby she was carrying.she crushed her face and other parts of her body,but made a full recovery.
     
  16. markaz

    markaz Resident Cards Fan Staff Member

    Here's the story. Happened in 1999 and she wasn't pregnant. Other than that, damn good memory.
    http://news.google.com/newspapers?n...rpOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ax8EAAAAIBAJ&pg=2441,1320819
     
  17. Diesel44

    Diesel44 Serial Killer