In 1932, famed parachute jumper, Howard E. Reitenbaugh, was killed at Whander Field, Reading, Berks County, Pennsylvania, when his parachute failed to open properly. Reitenbaugh was well known in the Lykens Valley area and a story of one of his air show performances at Millersburg, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, was told previously told here. See:
The story featured below tells of the investigation into his death, which was printed in a local newspaper in 1932:
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Term Parachute Jumper’s Death Accidental
Following an investigation into the death of Howard E. Reitenbaugh, 34 of Pottstown, on Sunday July 10th, Richard E. Herbine, inspector of the State Aeronautics Commission announced the airman’s death as accidental. The case was closed with the filing of this report.
Herbine, with a representative from the factory made a thorough inspection of the two chutes carried by Reitenbaugh, when he made his fatal leap from the airplane. According to the state inspection, they had been packed properly.
Parachute jumpers are required to carry two parachutes, one as a seat pack and the other as a lap pack. Reitenbaugh, it was explained, had carried two seat packs reversing one and carrying it as a lap pack.
It is believed that Reitenbaugh dropped 500 feet before he pulled the rip cord of the seat pack. By that time his body was spinning in the air and it is thought he became entangled in the lines, preventing the chute’s opening.
It is further believed that he was unable to reach the second, because it had been reversed. When the airman’s body was picked up from the field, it was found that the rear parachute had partially opened but that the rip cord of the second had not been pulled. Earlier in the day, Reitenbaugh had made a jump from a plane at an altitude of 1400 feet.
Funeral services were held at Pottstown last Wednesday. Reitenbaugh, who was well known in this valley, is survived by his parents and several brothers and sisters.
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