Oklahoma skydiver safe after parachute malfunction

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) – An Oklahoma skydiver delivering the game ball for a professional soccer match says muscle memory kicked in when his parachute malfunctioned in an incident he captured on camera.

Daniel Herndon says he reached speeds of about 120 mph before he deployed the parachute. He says the deployment bag come out spinning, causing a line twist in the parachute.

Herndon was jumping into Taft Stadium to deliver the ball for the Oklahoma City Energy’s game against Chivas USA. It was his first demonstration jump into a stadium after skydiving for close to seven years.

The Skiatook man says he struggled with the malfunctioning parachute for about 500 feet before he deployed his reserve canopy and managed to land on the stadium field.

Herndon says his biggest disappointment was losing his equipment, which cost him around $2,500.