The skydiver who made national news when he crashed into a scoreboard at a Virginia Tech football game over the weekend is part of a Greater Cincinnati jump team.
On Saturday, April 18, skydiver Pasha Palanker of Team Fastrax, based in Middletown, crashed into a large electronic screen at Lane Stadium in Blacksburg, Virginia.
Videos show two skydivers with American flags tied to them gliding over Lane Stadium. The skydiver with the smaller flag successfully glides over the video board; however, Palankar, the one with the larger flag, appears to get caught in the wind and collides with the board. First responders safely rescued Palanker, according to Virginia Tech.
The school announced on social media that the “skydiver was safely secured and is currently stable.”
Professional jumping group Team Fastrax has over 40 active performers whose stunts include strapping fireworks to themselves and flying in formation. They frequently perform University of Cincinnati football games and at sporting events around the country. They have been part of Independence Day celebrations in the region as well.
In 2020, an experienced skydiver with the team was killed during a jump in Florida.
In a Facebook post, Fastrax said sudden winds and a drag from his large American flag streaming out from behind Palanker caused the crash.
“His parachute lost lift and stalled from the turbulence that was rolling off the front top edge of the scoreboard creating a vacuum,” the company stated.
In a social media clip, Palanker said he had done several dozen jumps into stadiums across the country.
Fastrax didn’t immediately respond to questions via social media, email and phone regarding Palanker’s injuries.
Palanker, who has received two Purple Hearts and immigrated to the U.S. at 15, said on social media it means a lot for him to fly an 1,100 square foot American flag.
In an Instagram post he said the impact knocked the air out of him.
“No panic,” he says in the post. “Stay still. Stay controlled. Wait.”
In another Instagram clip, he said he plans to jump again.
This report may be updated.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Skydiver from Middletown team crashes into scoreboard
Reporting by Matthew Cupelli and Ehsan Kassim, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
