TITUSVILLE, Fla. – A skydiver died Saturday in a hard landing in a neighborhood near a Titusville airpark.
The Titusville Fire Department responded around 12:25 p.m. to Merry Lane, close to Arthur Dunn Airpark, stating on social media it decided against having a helicopter sent in and that Brevard County Fire Rescue was there as well.
The skydiver — who police described as a man outfitted in parachute attire and gear — was located on the lawn of a residence in the 2600 block of Merry Lane and pronounced dead at the scene. Police identified him as 69-year-old Frederick C. Morello, of Ormond Beach.
James Sconiers told News 6 it was his front yard where the man landed.
“I was asking the person that was laying on the ground, ‘Hey man can you hear me, can you hear me?’ But he did not answer,” Sconiers said.
Sconiers, who is a Vietnam veteran with airborne experience, says this incident left him with questions.
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“Look at the video and look at what happened. Why did he fall so hard if all the safety mechanisms (were) in place? Something tells me there’s a problem there,” he said.
Sconiers said his camera also showed someone from the Skydive Space Center, which is part of the airpark, removing Morello’s parachute.
“I just told him, I said, ‘He’s not responsive.’ And I said, ‘He has this helmet on and I don’t know if the neck is broken or what,’” he said.
Another skydiver told News 6 she knew Morello for more than 20 years and called the 69-year-old the most safety-conscious person she ever met.
She said Morello was a very skilled skydiver who always followed the rules and didn’t take risks.
Titusville police said more information will be shared when the investigation is complete.
Stick with News 6 and ClickOrlando.com for updates to this story.
**Skydiver down** Report of skydiver down on Merry Ln. this located just adjacent to Arthur-Dunn Airpark.
— Titusville Fire Dept (@TitusvilleFire) October 7, 2023
Note: This map depicts the general area of this scene and not necessarily its exact location.
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