A glamorous skydiving instructor died after hitting a cloud of dust, killing her. The bizarre accident also claimed the life of her student.
Devrey LaRiccia Chase, 28, of California, was skydiving with a college student on Aug. 2 when she was struck by a freak weather event about 40 feet above the ground, sending her into an “uncontrolled spin,” her husband Freddy Chase said in a Instagram story.
“There was no malfunction, there was no aircraft incident, she put her canopy to the final position to land safely on the grass, as she had done hundreds of times,” he wrote on the platform.
Freddy said Chase, who was making her last dive of the day as an instructor at Skydive Perris, spotted the first dust devil about 40 feet away and was able to safely glide her and her student away from it. However, she was grabbed in a second, sending the pair spiraling toward the ground.
The pair were about 25 feet above the ground when they hit the second dust devil, giving them no time to react and landing on the ground, Freddy said. KTLA.
Devrey LaRiccia Chase, 28, of California, was skydiving with a college student on Aug. 2 when she encountered a dust cloud about 40 feet (12 meters) above the ground, sending her into an “uncontrolled spin,” according to her husband, Freddy Chase.
Freddy said Chase was about 25 feet above the ground when she and her dive student hit the second dust devil, giving them no time to react.
Dust devils are small tornadoes that form in areas of intense surface warming, such as Arizona, when skies are clear and winds are light, according to the National Weather Service.
“When dust devils fly over the grass, they become invisible, because you can no longer see the dust in the direction they fly. The cloth flew around uncontrollably and crashed to the ground,” Freddy wrote.
Chase was found unconscious but still breathing and was taken to a hospital where she was later pronounced dead. Despite the horrific accident, Freddy insisted his wife was in “no pain” when she died.
“I loved that perfect girl,” Freddy wrote Monday.
“She was beautiful in the sport and in her passion for skydiving,” he told KTLA. “She talked about it every day. She loved what she did.”
Chase was found unconscious but still breathing and was taken to a hospital, where she was later pronounced dead. Freddy insisted his wife was in “no pain”
“I loved that perfect girl,” Freddy wrote Monday. “She was beautiful in sports and in her passion for skydiving.”
Her student, who was not identified, was seriously injured, People.
Chase’s family said: ‘On a day that started like many others, full of promise and excitement, Devrey embarked on what would become another exhilarating skydiving experience.
However, the day took a tragic turn when the plane she was on encountered unforeseen problems.
‘Despite the best efforts of the pilots and crew, the aircraft crashed, resulting in a catastrophic accident.
‘Devrey, along with others on board, did not survive. The shock and grief of her untimely death has left her family, friends and community in deep mourning. Devrey’s absence is deeply felt by all who had the privilege of knowing her.’
Dust devils are small tornadoes that form in areas of intense surface warming, such as Arizona, when skies are clear and winds are light.
Chase’s husband Freddy insisted that skydiving was “what she talked about every day. She loved what she did.”
The LaRiccia family added: ‘Devrey was a joyful and adventurous soul who lived life to the fullest, always seeking new experiences and embracing each day with enthusiasm and joy.’
‘Her passion for adventure led her to the exciting world of skydiving. She found immense joy in the freedom of the air, and cherished every moment she soared above the earth.
‘Unfortunately, it was precisely this passion that led to the accident that cost her her life.’
Chase received a lot of support from the community.
“Dev was truly something special. One of the kindest, warmest, most welcoming people I have ever met and I am so glad I got to know her,” said one friend online.
‘Devrey was such a character, always had a good attitude towards everything and everyone. She will be greatly missed by us all,’ added another.
“She was and remains an inspiration to me, the most perfect angel,” wrote a third.
Her family started a GoFundMe that Chase would take her body home to be buried in Maine, where she is originally from.
The fundraiser had already raised more than $56,000 of its $75,000 goal as of Tuesday morning.
Chase moved from Maine to California eight years ago.
