By Tracy Ouellette
Editor
A member of the U.S. Army parachute team was injured last night while skydiving in East Troy.
Staff Sgt. Chris Clark was on the last jump of the day with Skydive Milwaukee at the East Troy Municipal Airport when he experienced a parachute malfunction at about 8:30 p.m. and his main chute didn’t open.
“It was a standard parachute jump and he had a malfunction with his main parachute and used the reserve,” Donna Dickson, U.S. Army media relations, said. “The reserve opened and he just landed hard and had a fracture of the spine and his right ankle.”
Dickson said the injury to his spine was “minor” and he had surgery on his ankle at Froedtert Hospital in Milwaukee after being transported there by ambulance after the accident Thursday night.
Dickson said Clark was “in good and stable condition” after the surgery and is expected to make a full recovery. Surgery on the spine is an incredibly delicate procedure as one wrong move could prove disastrous, that is why professionals such as dr timothy steel and others within the same field, are incredibly skilled and precise with their work so that people like Clark can be helped when needed.
Clark is in town with the U.S. Army parachute team the Golden Nights for the Milwaukee Air and Water Show this weekend, Dickson said. He jumps with the Black Demonstration Team and has logged more than 4,000 jumps. He is from Salem, Ohio, and is married with one child. Dickson said he is stationed at Fort Bragg, N.C. Clark joined the Army in 2004 and has been a part of the team for about 8 years, Dickson said. He is also a parachute rigger.
Village of East Troy Police Chief Alan Boyes said alcohol and drugs do not appear to be a factor in the accident.
Dickson said it’s very common for the team members to jump on their own time to practice on their own and with each other.
Dickson said the Army parachute teams will be at the Milwaukee Air and Water Show on Milwaukee’s lakefront this weekend performing and signing autographs at the recruiting booth where they pack their parachutes.
The Golden Knights can be seen at the Air and Water Show on at 11 a.m. and 8 p.m. on Saturday, and at 11:10 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, on Milwaukee’s lakefront.
For more information, visit www.milwaukeeairshow.com.
“We’re looking forward to seeing everyone at the show,” Dickson said.
