Gone A-Fowl: Skydiving Plane Catches Fire After Bird Strike

Diver Rusty Wardlow: "There is no such thing as a perfectly good plane." Zack Altschuler photo. 

CALHAN, Colorado - Things went a-fowl for passengers of an “Out of the Blue Skydiving” plane this weekend after a bird strike caused the plane to catch fire. 

Just three minutes into the flight, passengers reported hearing a loud pop and a fizzle, and were unsure if they had blown the hot section of the plane or if there had been a bird strike.

“The pilot took a few seconds to assess the situation and he sad ‘everybody out,’” passenger Trent Reese told Colorado Springs’  KRDO News.

A few thousand feet short of the normal jump altitude (10,000, to be exact), all 13 jumpers aboard were forced to exit the plane at just 2,000 feet.

“It’s an unfortunate event,” said Owner John Mahan. “Everyone is safe. We are very happy everyone is accounted for. Now we have to figure out how to mitigate the damages and get back open.” Mayan hopes to be back up and flying next weekend.

This is just a normal part of skydiving—there is no such thing as a perfectly good airplane

Rusty Bobby Wardlow, longtime skydiving photographer, was also in the plane when the bird struck. “I wouldn’t say it was a routine exit, but everyone did what they were supposed to do,” he told  KOAA. 

“This is just a normal part of skydiving—there is no such thing as a perfectly good airplane, and we were all glad we were wearing parachutes.” Wardlow was able to use his parachute, unlike the other divers, who had to use reserve parachutes because of the low altitude. 

Mahan praised the pilot’s maneuvers under pressure. “He did an amazing job flying the plane, and he brought it back safely.”

All divers landed and were recovered safely despite being scattered in the surrounding area. The National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the incident, which comes the same weekend that two tandem skydivers plunged to their deaths in California after their parachute failed to open. 

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stash member Katie Cooney

Skier, photographer, dog lover, adventure seeker. Native of the land of cheese and beer, sometimes called Wisconsin.