jessefs 0 #1 September 12, 2002 This was taken from the Chicago Tribune today. Marijuana in skydiver's system Report says he smoked 2 hours before fatal fall By Maurice Possley Tribune staff reporter Published September 12, 2002 A skydiving instructor who died in July while attempting to land on a pond at Skydive Chicago in Ottawa was seriously impaired by smoking marijuana within two hours of his death, according to a toxicology report released Wednesday. The report was made public an at inquest conducted by LaSalle County Coroner Jody Bernard into the death of Ronald Passmore Jr., 33, who died July 14 when he slammed chest first into the pond at the jump zone and died of a severed aorta. A coroner's jury declared the death accidental. Passmore's death was the sixth in a year at Skydive Chicago, a fatality rate eight times higher than the national average. He was the second instructor to die there this year and the second fatality since July 2001 in which drugs were found in the victim's system. The toxicology report, prepared by St. Louis University Hospital laboratory officials, showed Passmore's blood had a cannabis level about double that at which a person is considered impaired, according to laboratory director Dr. Christopher Long. "This (level in Passmore's blood) demonstrates relatively acute smoking within the last couple of hours before his death," said Long. This is serious impairment due to marijuana--cannabis--that would affect everything you could possibly use to skydive, particularly reaction time and depth perception." Efforts to reach Roger Nelson, operator of the Skydive Chicago, and Chris Needels, head of the U.S. Parachute Association, were unsuccessful. Needels was present at the jump zone for a USPA board of directors meeting on the day that Passmore and two other skydivers jumped from a plane with high-performance parachutes to perform a landing known as "pond swooping." The landing is a difficult maneuver in which a skydiver skims across the water, much like a water-skier, and then walks ashore. On that day, word had been passed that the three planned to swoop the tiny swimming pond at the dive zone and a small crowd had gathered. According to one observer, the first skydiver managed the maneuver successfully, but the second stalled into the water. Passmore was the final diver and as he came in, he made a sharp hook turn and pancaked onto the water, severing his aorta and causing numerous other internal injuries, according to the autopsy report. After Passmore's death, Nelson said he banned pond swooping at the jump zone. Passmore, a veteran of more than 1,300 jumps, had been living at the campground that is part of the Skydive Chicago compound and was working as an instructor for Nelson. Instructors are paid a fee, usually about $25, to accompany students who are taking up the sport. Skydive Chicago is one of the busiest drop zones in the Midwest with about 75,000 jumps a year. On May 18, John Faulkner, 28, also an instructor at the jump zone who was living at the campground, collided in the air with another jumper, rendering him unconscious. His backup chute failed despite being equipped with a device to open it automatically. No drugs or alcohol were detected in his system. On Oct. 18, 2001, Bruce Greig, of Jacksonville, Ill., died when his chute became entangled and he went into a spin. His emergency chute deployed too close to the ground and he died of chest injuries. A toxicology report was positive for cocaine, marijuana and Ecstasy. <* Spread the Love! *> Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rgoper 0 #2 September 12, 2002 how is this helpful information?--Richard-- "We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jessefs 0 #3 September 12, 2002 It's just information like any information is. Take what you want from it, leave what you don't...at least thats what I do with information. <* Spread the Love! *> Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
quade 4 #4 September 12, 2002 All information is useful. If not immediately, then in the future. In this particular case, it helps to confirm some rumors. It totally sucks, but don't blame the writer of the article or the people that conducted the investigation.quade - The World's Most Boring Skydiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnnyD 0 #5 September 12, 2002 the big question I have is how will this effect the rest of us, if at all? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rgoper 0 #6 September 12, 2002 Quotethe big question I have is how will this effect the rest of us, if at all? and i thought it was just me.--Richard-- "We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PhreeZone 20 #7 September 12, 2002 It might not directly, but if law enforcement keeps hearing of deaths with drugs in their system. Its not that big of a leap for the locals to call for an investigation into why drugs are permitted on any piece of land routnely. If one department busts a whole DZ, that could filter out to other departments to look at DZ's or other places that have a lot of reports of drugs and deaths.Yesterday is history And tomorrow is a mystery Parachutemanuals.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
christoofar 0 #8 September 12, 2002 QuoteIt might not directly, but if law enforcement keeps hearing of deaths with drugs in their system. Its not that big of a leap for the locals to call for an investigation into why drugs are permitted on any piece of land routnely. If one department busts a whole DZ, that could filter out to other departments to look at DZ's or other places that have a lot of reports of drugs and deaths. Ditto. I don't think we want dropzones considered to be on the same moral plateau as bars, strip-clubs and crackhouses. Incidents involving drugs defame skydiving more than any other kind of incident. It has the potential to shut down our sport. Why does this continue to happen? Did anyone know he was smoking weed at the DZ? ____________________________________________________________ I'm RICK JAMES! Fo shizzle. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
quade 4 #9 September 12, 2002 It might not affect us directly, but if I was SDC, I would start dealing with the media and proving the DZ does not condone or allow drugs on property. That might include a lot of things, but most certainly mandatory random testing of instructors. Considering the history of the DZO, this isn't going to be pretty.quade - The World's Most Boring Skydiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnnyD 0 #10 September 12, 2002 QuoteIt might not directly, but if law enforcement keeps hearing of deaths with drugs in their system. Its not that big of a leap for the locals to call for an investigation into why drugs are permitted on any piece of land routnely. If one department busts a whole DZ, that could filter out to other departments to look at DZ's or other places that have a lot of reports of drugs and deaths. SDC is actually in a pretty remote part of Illinois (I grew up just down the road). It was pretty tough to get good drugs there when I was in high school. If the local authorities get tired of watching corn grow, they may consider that as an option. Then again, since drug use is not much of a concern there, it could be sort of ignored. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Deuce 1 #11 September 12, 2002 I am opposed to random testing. It is a search without probable cause. DZO's know who on their staffs sneak a beer or a joint. There's a tolerant culture in skydiving similar to the US culture regarding drinking and driving prior to MADD. (mothers against drunk driving) Not long ago it was OK to have a couple of drinks and hit the road "one for the road", but no longer. The culture was deliberately changed by some highly motivated and pissed-off people. I've only been in the sport a little over a year, but do you all think this culture will become overtly intolerant of intoxication during flight hours? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PhreeZone 20 #12 September 12, 2002 Other then in the FAR's it states pilots can not be under the influence of anything to fly (and we are unpowered gliders at a point)...Yesterday is history And tomorrow is a mystery Parachutemanuals.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnnyD 0 #13 September 12, 2002 QuoteI've only been in the sport a little over a year, but do you all think this culture will become overtly intolerant of intoxication during flight hours? Is there any other way? I don't see how it is possible to be overly intolerant. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
quade 4 #14 September 12, 2002 QuoteI am opposed to random testing. It is a search without probably cause. Yes, I'd be opposed to it as well, but I would also totally understand it as a condition of employment. Any aviation & transportation company that does not have a drug testing program in place, is looking for trouble -- maybe not today, but certainly in the long run.quade - The World's Most Boring Skydiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
christoofar 0 #15 September 12, 2002 QuoteI am opposed to random testing. It is a search without probably cause. Step back: It's okay to force a TSA screener to undergo drug testing but it's not okay to have a tandem/AFF instructor undergo drug testing, or a skydiver? I do know where you are coming from. I don't want to be screened for something I didn't do and am not responsible for, either. But my clients don't trust me and I get screened and I'm just a mainframe and web programmer! ____________________________________________________________ I'm RICK JAMES! Fo shizzle. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rgoper 0 #16 September 12, 2002 QuoteI don't think we want dropzones considered to be on the same moral plateau as bars, strip-clubs oh, but it's O.K. if some sky divers "flash" the pilot for extra altitude? we ALL know what happens after the "beer light" comes on, i shant eloborate, we all know.--Richard-- "We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
christoofar 0 #17 September 12, 2002 QuoteQuoteI don't think we want dropzones considered to be on the same moral plateau as bars, strip-clubs oh, but it's O.K. if some sky divers "flash" the pilot for extra altitude? we ALL know what happens after the "beer light" comes on, i shant eloborate, we all know. That's different. The cops don't know about the flashing... and it's hardly anything but concentual. The dropzone could have orgies on its property after the beer light and still be behaving within the law. I wouldn't want a cop to think he needs to keep a beat on the dropzone just like they do up and down the stripclubs because of the "sleaze." ____________________________________________________________ I'm RICK JAMES! Fo shizzle. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnnyD 0 #18 September 12, 2002 Quotethe big question I have is how will this effect the rest of us, if at all? Here's the nest one: Who makes the decision to do a blood tox? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rgoper 0 #19 September 12, 2002 QuoteI am opposed to random testing. It is a search without probably cause. why are you opposed to random drug screening? i take about 6 drug screens a year, all random, it doesn't bother me, nor does it offend me, because i have absolutely nothing to hide, and as the project manager on an oil rig, i'm not required to participate, i do it to show my guys that i am subject to the same scrutiny they are, just because i'm there supervisor, doesn't mean i can do whatever i want. all they get from me is pure H2O. i think random drug screening will be imposed at one time or another, not a matter of "if" but "when" if nothing else, it does keep everybody honest.--Richard-- "We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
christoofar 0 #20 September 12, 2002 QuoteQuotethe big question I have is how will this effect the rest of us, if at all? Here's the nest one: Who makes the decision to do a blood tox? Is that rhetorical? I'm sure that would be USPA BOD or FAA, wouldn't it? USPA could force everyone to do it to keep their licenses and ratings. Or, worse, the FAA could do it and then no-one has any say so-as to who/how/when/where the testing occurs. I don't think USPA would do it unless there was inertia... like pressure from the FAA, or by skydivers themselves. ____________________________________________________________ I'm RICK JAMES! Fo shizzle. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Deuce 1 #21 September 12, 2002 QuoteQuoteI am opposed to random testing. It is a search without probable cause. Step back:! Chris, I don't know why I'm pushing your buttons today. It is not my intent. Maybe you're trying to push mine. I am against any search of a person or property without probable cause. I submit to it to travel on commercial airliners, I submitted to it as a condition of employment. To me, it presumes guilt until the proof of innocence (that the testee is drug free, that the traveler don't have a weapon). I think there are some folks who knew the person(s) involved were high, and they thought the jumpers could handle it. If the screener comes in at lunch, takes the urine, does the beathalyzer and the jumper is clean, forget it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnnyD 0 #22 September 12, 2002 QuoteIs that rhetorical? Obviously not. QuoteI'm sure that would be USPA BOD or FAA, wouldn't it? Just curious who bears the responsibility of that decision. The family? The coroner? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PhillyKev 0 #23 September 12, 2002 Guys...is this the correct forum for a discussion regarding the legitimacy of drug screening? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
christoofar 0 #24 September 12, 2002 Hmm... I don't know where this would go... I guess Talkback or Safety and Training. ____________________________________________________________ I'm RICK JAMES! Fo shizzle. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
christoofar 0 #25 September 12, 2002 Duece: I'm just bouncing around the problem. I like to examine things lots of different ways. Don't take offense, dude... I often do that. Now... back to regularly scheduled programming... how do we keep the drug culture out of skydiving and keep personal liberties intact? Is it even possible? ____________________________________________________________ I'm RICK JAMES! Fo shizzle. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
