Pilot, passengers jump to safety as skydiving planes collide - Aliyah Christian, period 1

Over northern Wisconsin, two small planes were carrying 11 people. 2 piliots and 9 skydivers that were planing to jump in formation. The 2 planes were following one another, when the leading plane caught fire and broke up in midair. The pilot of the leading plane says that he heard a loud bang and then his windshield shattered. Luckily, both of the skydivers and pilot jumped out of the plane before it broke up and crashed. The pilot got out safely by using his emergency parachute. The second plane, which was following the first, was able to land safely, but the 5 skydivers jumped out of the plane before it landed. Fortunately, all of the people aboard both planes were skilled skydivers and had parachuts. "It's definitely a reminder of the danger of the sport that we all love," Skydive Superior instructor Mike Robinson said. The pilot of the plane that crashed "was visibly bloodied about his face and shirt and had one hand wrapped in a garment, but was otherwise lucid, alert and oriented," Johnson said. The pilot of the trailing plane landed safely and picked up the pilot of the crashed aircraft along the runway as he taxied in, Johnson said. Skydive Superior posted a message on its Facebook page thanking supporters "during this very difficult time for us. "The jumpers and pilots have been through a very surreal experience, and they are lucky and thankful to be alive," it said.

This article is why I will most likely never sky dive. You just never know when a malfunction may occur. Thank goodness that these planes were planning skydiving that day and that all of the passangers were equipped with parachutes. I can only imagine the fear they must have experienced going through that. I wonder if they will continue skydiving or take this as a sign to take a break.

http://www.cnn.com/2013/11/03/us/wisconsin-skydivers-crash/index.html?hpt=hp_t2