US authorities probe fatal skydiving accident at Massachusetts facility
The death of a 28-year-old software engineer in a Massachusetts skydiving accident has prompted a federal aviation investigation, highlighting the ongoing safety and regulatory challenges inherent in commercial adventure sports.
Mani Chandra Teja Gaddam, a 28-year-old software engineer, died following a skydiving accident in Orange, Massachusetts, on Sunday afternoon. Authorities report that a sudden gust of wind violently dropped him 30 feet after he airdropped at Jumptown Skydiving around 4 p.m.
Emergency services transported Gaddam to a nearby hospital in Athol, where he was subsequently pronounced dead. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner is currently tasked with determining the official cause and manner of death.
The incident has triggered a joint investigation involving local and state police alongside the Federal Aviation Administration. Such federal scrutiny underscores the rigorous oversight applied to commercial adventure operations, a sector where unpredictable weather remains a critical liability for operators and participants alike.
Gaddam was an experienced skydiver who held an A License from the United States Parachute Association, permitting him to jump without direct instructor supervision. Professionally, he had been employed by Boston-based financial services firm Fidelity Investments for just over a year.
Originally from Hyderabad, India, he pursued his higher education in the United States. He completed a master’s degree in computer science at Northwestern University in December 2024.
Jumptown Skydiving stated that a “sudden and unpredictable weather event appears to have caused the accident.” The facility confirmed it is fully cooperating with the ongoing investigation by authorities.
In a statement to local media, the skydiving center expressed that they are “deeply saddened by the incident that occurred at our facility.” They extended “heartfelt condolences to the family, friends, and loved ones of the skydiver involved.”
Gaddam’s family described themselves as devastated by the sudden loss. In a fundraising effort for funeral expenses, they remembered him as an “exceptionally bright, kind, and hardworking young man with a passion for learning and embracing new challenges.”
As the investigation proceeds, the case will be examined for any procedural or meteorological oversights. The outcome may influence future safety protocols for commercial skydiving operations facing increasingly volatile weather patterns.
