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(Vandalia, IL) KSDK-- A Maryland Heights man fell more than 5000 feet to his death while sky diving at Archway Skydiving Center.
It happened just after 6:00 p.m. Saturday at an airport near Vandalia, Illinois in Fayette County.
Jonathan Bullar, 24, died after was supposed to make what witnesses said was a 15 second freefall. Investigators say it's too early to tell if the accident was the result of a parachute malfunction or operator error.
"Evidently his parachute did not fully inflate or deploy in time to stop his collision with the ground," said Fayette County coroner Bruce Bowen.
Bullar's uncle said the family is devastated and said his nephew loved life and loved serving God.
The deadly collision happened about a half a mile west of the Vandalia airport in a bean field. Investigators consider the skydiving incident an accident, but said exactly what went wrong is still being determined.
"I think he jumped somewhere like 5500 or 6500 feet and a witness reported he done a couple tumbles but nobody witnessed the actual accident," said Bowen.
Bullar was pronounced dead at the crash scene.
His uncle called the 2004 Pattonville High School graduate a great man who led many people to Christ.
Jason Mark, owner of Archway Skydiving Center, released a statement saying he's deeply saddened by the accident.
Mark says under the current ownership there have been more than 100,000 skydives and there has never been a fatality since he took over the company in 1999.
It happened just after 6:00 p.m. Saturday at an airport near Vandalia, Illinois in Fayette County.
Jonathan Bullar, 24, died after was supposed to make what witnesses said was a 15 second freefall. Investigators say it's too early to tell if the accident was the result of a parachute malfunction or operator error.
"Evidently his parachute did not fully inflate or deploy in time to stop his collision with the ground," said Fayette County coroner Bruce Bowen.
Bullar's uncle said the family is devastated and said his nephew loved life and loved serving God.
The deadly collision happened about a half a mile west of the Vandalia airport in a bean field. Investigators consider the skydiving incident an accident, but said exactly what went wrong is still being determined.
"I think he jumped somewhere like 5500 or 6500 feet and a witness reported he done a couple tumbles but nobody witnessed the actual accident," said Bowen.
Bullar was pronounced dead at the crash scene.
His uncle called the 2004 Pattonville High School graduate a great man who led many people to Christ.
Jason Mark, owner of Archway Skydiving Center, released a statement saying he's deeply saddened by the accident.
Mark says under the current ownership there have been more than 100,000 skydives and there has never been a fatality since he took over the company in 1999.
