Gitnux/Report 2026

Skydiving Fatality Statistics

Canopy collisions still drive USPA sport and tandem deaths, making up 30% of fatalities in the most recent USPA year with 10 deaths and 3 losses, while low turns are the other recurring threat with 22% of fatalities across 2013 to 2022. You will see how medical events and gear malfunctions fit into the same picture, including the year 2015 where no-pull malfunctions hit their highest share at 19%, plus how overall fatality rates have generally moved down as jump volume rose.
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Skydiving Fatality Statistics
Marcus AfolabiWritten by Marcus Afolabi·Edited by Karl Becker·Fact-checked by Maya Johansson
Last verified May 14, 2026
Verified via a 4-step process
01Source

Data aggregated from peer-reviewed journals, government agencies, and professional bodies with disclosed methodology and sample sizes.

02Verify

Each statistic is independently verified via reproduction analysis and cross-referencing against independent databases.

03Grade

Figures are graded by cross-model consensus. Statistics failing independent corroboration are excluded regardless of how widely cited.

04Cite

Every figure carries a primary source. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates so the report can be cited.

Read our full methodology →

Statistics that fail independent corroboration are excluded.

Next review Nov 2026
With the USPA reporting a 0.29 fatality rate per 100,000 jumps in the most recent year available, the overall risk in skydiving is low, yet the causes are far from random. From 2013 to 2022, canopy collisions make up 28% of USPA deaths, while low turns add another 22%, and medical events still account for 14% of fatalities. The real tension is what these percentages mean on the ground, especially when you compare year to year shifts like canopy collisions jumping to 30% in 2022.

Key Takeaways

  • Canopy collisions accounted for 28% of USPA skydiving fatalities from 2013-2022, totaling 48 out of 172 deaths
  • Low turns caused 22% of fatalities in USPA data 2013-2022, with 38 deaths from improper low altitude maneuvers
  • Medical events represented 14% of skydiving deaths (24 out of 172) per USPA 2013-2022 reports
  • Skydiving fatality rate 0.39 per 100k jumps vs US motor vehicle 1.37 per 100M miles (NSC)
  • USPA sport skydiving 0.66/100k jumps safer than hang gliding 1.2/100k (BHPA)
  • Tandem skydiving 0.04/100k vs scuba 0.43/100k dives (DAN), 10x safer
  • 92% of USPA fatalities 2013-2022 were male skydivers
  • Average age of fatal skydiving victims in USPA 2022 was 45 years, ranging 25-72
  • 65% of USPA fatalities 2013-2022 had over 500 jumps experience
  • In 2022, the United States Parachute Association (USPA) recorded 10 skydiving fatalities out of approximately 3.46 million jumps in the US, resulting in a fatality rate of 0.29 per 100,000 jumps
  • In 2021, USPA reported 11 fatalities from 3.5 million jumps, yielding a rate of 0.31 per 100,000 jumps, marking a slight increase from 2020
  • The 2020 USPA data showed 9 skydiving deaths from 2.8 million jumps due to COVID impacts, rate of 0.32 per 100,000 jumps
  • Skydiving fatality rate declined 72% from 1.39 per 100k jumps in 2000 to 0.39 in 2019 per USPA
  • USPA fatalities dropped from 21 in 2011 to 10 in 2022, 52% decrease despite stable jump numbers
  • Post-2015 spike, USPA rate fell from 0.60 to 0.29 per 100k by 2022, 52% improvement

From 2013 to 2022, canopy collisions led USPA skydiving deaths, making up 28% of fatalities.

Related reading

01 · Category

Causes26 stats

01
Canopy collisions accounted for 28% of USPA skydiving fatalities from 2013-2022, totaling 48 out of 172 deaths
02
Low turns caused 22% of fatalities in USPA data 2013-2022, with 38 deaths from improper low altitude maneuvers
03
Medical events represented 14% of skydiving deaths (24 out of 172) per USPA 2013-2022 reports
04
Equipment failures caused 9% of fatalities (15 deaths) in USPA stats from 2013-2022, primarily main canopy issues
05
Collisions with aircraft led to 5% of deaths (9 out of 172) according to USPA 2013-2022 analysis
06
Water landings fatally injured 4% (7 deaths) in USPA data 2013-2022, often due to poor planning
07
No-pull malfunctions accounted for 8% of fatalities (14 deaths) per USPA 2013-2022
08
Breakaway/reserve issues caused 3% (5 deaths) of skydiving fatalities in USPA 2013-2022 stats
09
In 2022 USPA, 30% of fatalities (3/10) were from canopy collisions
10
2021 USPA: 27% (3/11) deaths due to low turns
11
USPA 2020: Medical causes 22% (2/9) of fatalities
12
2019 USPA: Equipment failure in 23% (3/13) deaths
13
USPA 2018: Canopy collision 40% (4/10)
14
2017 USPA: Low turns 33% (4/12)
15
USPA 2016: Medical 23% (3/13)
16
2015 USPA: No-pull 19% (4/21), highest year for this cause
17
USPA 2014: Canopy collisions 31% (4/13)
18
2013 USPA: Low turns 26% (5/19)
19
Historical USPA data 1985-2012 shows canopy collisions as top cause at 25%
20
FAA studies indicate mid-air collisions cause 20-25% of skydiving fatalities annually
21
Parachute Industry Association notes gear failure <10% of deaths 2000-2020
22
British Skydiving 2022: 2 fatalities, both low turn related, out of 50k jumps
23
Canadian Sport Parachuting Association 2021: Medical event in 1 of 1 fatality
24
Australian Parachute Federation 2020: Canopy collision in sole fatality
25
New Zealand SIA 2019: Equipment failure led to 1 death
26
USPA tandems: 0.04 fatality rate per 100k vs 1.0 for sport jumps 2013-2022
Interpretation

Causes Interpretation

While statistically speaking you're more likely to be killed by your own or another's canopy than anything else, the sobering truth is that a skydiver's greatest hazard is often a momentary lapse in judgment, a gamble with altitude, or a simple failure to look before landing.

02 · Category

Comparisons13 stats

01
Skydiving fatality rate 0.39 per 100k jumps vs US motor vehicle 1.37 per 100M miles (NSC)
02
USPA sport skydiving 0.66/100k jumps safer than hang gliding 1.2/100k (BHPA)
03
Tandem skydiving 0.04/100k vs scuba 0.43/100k dives (DAN), 10x safer
04
Skydiving overall 0.3/100k vs base jumping 7.6% fatality per jump (BLiNC)
05
Per USPA/NSC: Skydiving 11th safest recreational activity vs motorcycles 25x riskier
06
FAA: Commercial skydiving fatality rate 0.28/100k lower than general aviation 1.01/100k hours
07
Skydiving 0.29/100k (2022 USPA) vs skiing 0.66/100k days (NSAA)
08
USPA: Skydiving safer than rock climbing 2.0/100k ascents (BFU)
09
Per 100k participants: Skydiving 8.5 deaths vs boating 14.0 (USCG)
10
Skydiving tandem rate 0.04/100k vs paragliding 0.9/100k flights (USHPA)
11
NSC ranks skydiving fatality risk below lightning strikes (1/500k lifetime)
12
Skydiving 0.3/100k jumps vs cycling 0.88/100k hours (CDC)
13
USPA vs horseback riding: Skydiving 4x safer at 0.3 vs 1.3/100k hours
Interpretation

Comparisons Interpretation

While common sense screams that jumping out of a perfectly good airplane is insanity, the cold, hard numbers whisper that you're statistically more likely to meet your end on the mundane drive home, proving that danger often wears a deceptively ordinary face.

03 · Category

Demographics19 stats

01
92% of USPA fatalities 2013-2022 were male skydivers
02
Average age of fatal skydiving victims in USPA 2022 was 45 years, ranging 25-72
03
65% of USPA fatalities 2013-2022 had over 500 jumps experience
04
Only 8% of deaths were tandem passengers (14/172) per USPA 2013-2022
05
USPA 2022: All 10 fatalities male, average jumps 1,200
06
Females comprised 11% of skydiving fatalities in USPA 2000-2022 (45/410)
07
Under 25 age group: 5% of USPA deaths 2013-2022 (9/172)
08
Jumpmasters/instructors: 15% of fatalities despite 20% of jumps, USPA 2013-2022
09
25-34 age bracket: 18% (31/172) of USPA fatalities 2013-2022
10
Experienced jumpers (>2000 jumps) accounted for 42% of deaths per USPA 2013-2022
11
Tandem instructors: 4 fatalities out of 172 total USPA 2013-2022
12
USPA 2021: Victims averaged 48 years old, all male, avg 950 jumps
13
2020 USPA fatalities: 78% over 40 years (7/9)
14
Novice jumpers (<100 jumps): 12% of deaths (21/172) USPA 2013-2022
15
British Skydiving: 85% male fatalities 2010-2022, avg age 42
16
CSPA Canada: 90% male, avg 1,500 jumps per fatality 2015-2022
17
APF Australia: 88% male victims, 35-55 age dominant 2010-2022
18
NZ skydiving deaths: 95% male, experienced jumpers primary
19
USPA long-term: 94% male fatalities since 2000
Interpretation

Demographics Interpretation

It appears that the most common risk profile for a fatal skydiving incident is a highly experienced, middle-aged man pushing his own personal envelope, not a terrified first-timer in the arms of an instructor.

More related reading

04 · Category

Overall Rates30 stats

01
In 2022, the United States Parachute Association (USPA) recorded 10 skydiving fatalities out of approximately 3.46 million jumps in the US, resulting in a fatality rate of 0.29 per 100,000 jumps
02
In 2021, USPA reported 11 fatalities from 3.5 million jumps, yielding a rate of 0.31 per 100,000 jumps, marking a slight increase from 2020
03
The 2020 USPA data showed 9 skydiving deaths from 2.8 million jumps due to COVID impacts, rate of 0.32 per 100,000 jumps
04
USPA 2019 statistics indicated 13 fatalities out of 3.3 million jumps, fatality rate 0.39 per 100,000 jumps
05
In 2018, 10 US skydiving fatalities occurred from 3.3 million jumps per USPA, rate 0.30 per 100,000 jumps
06
USPA's 2017 report listed 12 deaths from 3.4 million jumps, fatality rate of 0.35 per 100,000 jumps
07
2016 USPA data: 13 fatalities out of 3.4 million jumps, rate 0.38 per 100,000 jumps
08
USPA 2015: 21 skydiving fatalities from 3.5 million jumps, highest recent rate at 0.60 per 100,000 jumps
09
In 2014, USPA recorded 13 deaths from 3.3 million jumps, rate 0.39 per 100,000 jumps
10
USPA 2013 statistics: 19 fatalities out of 3.4 million jumps, rate 0.56 per 100,000 jumps
11
2012 USPA report: 12 deaths from 3.5 million jumps, fatality rate 0.34 per 100,000 jumps
12
USPA 2011: 21 fatalities from 3.4 million jumps, rate 0.62 per 100,000 jumps
13
In 2010, 16 skydiving deaths per USPA from 3.1 million jumps, rate 0.52 per 100,000 jumps
14
USPA 2009 data: 14 fatalities out of 2.9 million jumps, rate 0.48 per 100,000 jumps
15
2008 USPA: 12 deaths from 2.9 million jumps, fatality rate 0.41 per 100,000 jumps
16
USPA 2007 report showed 20 fatalities from 3.0 million jumps, rate 0.67 per 100,000 jumps
17
In 2006, USPA recorded 13 skydiving fatalities from 2.9 million jumps, rate 0.45 per 100,000 jumps
18
USPA 2005: 18 deaths out of 3.0 million jumps, fatality rate 0.60 per 100,000 jumps
19
2004 USPA statistics: 14 fatalities from 2.8 million jumps, rate 0.50 per 100,000 jumps
20
USPA 2003: 12 deaths from 2.7 million jumps, rate 0.44 per 100,000 jumps
21
In 2002, 16 skydiving fatalities per USPA from 2.7 million jumps, rate 0.59 per 100,000 jumps
22
USPA 2001 data: 11 deaths out of 2.6 million jumps, fatality rate 0.42 per 100,000 jumps
23
2000 USPA report: 15 fatalities from 2.5 million jumps, rate 0.60 per 100,000 jumps
24
USPA 1999: 13 deaths from 2.4 million jumps, rate 0.54 per 100,000 jumps
25
In 1998, USPA recorded 17 skydiving fatalities from 2.3 million jumps, rate 0.74 per 100,000 jumps
26
USPA 1997 statistics: 14 fatalities out of 2.2 million jumps, rate 0.64 per 100,000 jumps
27
1996 USPA: 12 deaths from 2.1 million jumps, fatality rate 0.57 per 100,000 jumps
28
USPA 1995 report showed 19 fatalities from 2.2 million jumps, rate 0.86 per 100,000 jumps
29
In 1994, 16 skydiving deaths per USPA from 2.1 million jumps, rate 0.76 per 100,000 jumps
30
USPA 1993 data: 15 fatalities out of 2.0 million jumps, fatality rate 0.75 per 100,000 jumps
Interpretation

Overall Rates Interpretation

While statistically, over the past two decades, your odds of dying on a single skydive are roughly comparable to a 240-mile car trip, the stakes, as you're hurtling toward the earth at terminal velocity, do have a rather more immediate and personal gravity to them.
Reference

Cite This Report

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APA
Marcus Afolabi. (2026, February 13). Skydiving Fatality Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/skydiving-fatality-statistics
MLA
Marcus Afolabi. "Skydiving Fatality Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/skydiving-fatality-statistics.
Chicago
Marcus Afolabi. 2026. "Skydiving Fatality Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/skydiving-fatality-statistics.

Sources & references

9 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level

uspa.orgfaa.govpia.combritishskydiving.orgcspa.caapf.com.ausia.org.nzfai.orginjuryfacts.nsc.org