Skydiving Instructor Killed in Fall Was Attempting 'Tracking' Maneuver
Jordan Janway, 27, was described as a "master parachutist."
March 31, 2014— -- A veteran skydiving instructor who was killed over the weekend after his parachute failed to open was attempting a maneuver he had done plenty of times before, according to the owner of Skydive San Diego.
During a jump on Sunday, Jordan Janway, 27, apparently collided with one of his students in mid-air while he was attempting to perform a maneuver known as "tracking," in which divers get horizontal separation while free-falling.
"We don't know what went wrong but the possibilities are endless," said Buzz Fink, owner of Skydive San Diego, where Janway was an instructor. "He could have made a mistake and run into the guy or had a medical condition. Nobody knows right now what caused him to do that."
Janway was a "master parachutist" who had completed more than 1,000 skydives, Fink said. He was also an FAA-certified senior parachute rigger, meaning he was skilled in doing maintenance on parachutes, Fink said.
Janway was reported missing on Sunday at 4:10 p.m. near Otay Lakes, outside of Jamul, Calif., police said, and a search helicopter from the San Diego Sheriff's Office spotted his body shortly after 5 p.m.
The sheriff's office said they are investigating the incident.
"He was a great guy and was loved by everyone," Fink said. "The guy of kind guy I'd hope my kids grow up to be. Right now we're all just emotionally trying to deal with the situation."
