Massachusetts Skydiving Accident | New England Aviation History

Boston, MA. – October 6, 1915

June 19, 2017

Boston, Massachusetts – October 6, 1915

As of the is posting, very little information is available about this accident.

On October 6, 1915, Elmer Olsen, a parachute jumper from Boston, was scheduled to perform at a fair somewhere in Boston. His act included ascending in a hot air balloon to a considerable height before jumping with seven parachutes, each to be used in succession until he reached the ground. As he was discarding one chute in preparation of opening the next, something went wrong, and he fell to his death.

Source:

Hartford Courant, (Conn.), “Parachute Jumper Killed”, October 7, 1915

North Adams, MA. – September 5, 1921

June 15, 2017

North Adams, Massachusetts – September 5, 1921

On September 5, 1921, Eugene M. Stafford of Boston, was scheduled to perform a double parachute drop from his balloon at a fair in North Adams. Once the balloon had reached an altitude above 1,000 feet, Stafford made his leap, and his first parachute opened successfully. At 600 feet, he cut away from the first parachute, and attempted to deploy the second, but the harness he was wearing that was attached to both chutes suddenly separated and he fell away. He fell to the ground and was killed.

Source:

Hartford Courant, (Conn.) “Balloonist Killed Doing Double Parachute Jump”, September 6, 1921

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Civil Tagged With: Eugene M. Stafford Aeronaut, Eugene M. Stafford Balloonist, Massachusetts Parachute Accident, Massachusetts Skydiving Accident, New England Skydiving Accident, North Adams massachusetts History, North Adams Massachusetts Parachute Accident

Quincy, MA. – July 17, 1912

June 15, 2017

Quincy, Massachusetts – July 17, 1912

On July 17, 1912, 17-year-old aeronaut Lawrence Stafford, of Dorchester, Massachusetts, was scheduled to perform a balloon ascension and parachute jump at a place known as Hough’s Neck in the town of Quincy. Several hundred people had come to witness the event.

When the balloon had reached an altitude of 2,000 feet Stafford made his jump, but the parachute failed to open. He landed in shallow water in Quincy Bay and was killed.

Source:

Hartford Courant, (Conn.), “Parachute Jumper Falls To His Death”, July 18, 1912

Filed Under: Massachusetts - Civil Tagged With: Aeronaut Lawrence Stafford, Balloonist Lawrence Stafford, Hough's neck Balloon Accident, Hough's Neck History, Hough's Neck Quincy History, Massachusetts Skydiving Accident, New England Skydiving Accident, Quincy Massachusetts History