BASE Jumping Fatalities Between 2007 and 2017: Main Causes of Fatal Events and Recommendations for Safety.
Level 4 - case-series / case-control
Retrospective case series analyzing an observational fatality registry.
PubMed 31704133 · doi:10.1016/j.wem.2019.07.001
What was done
Researchers identified and classified worldwide BASE jumping fatal events recorded between 2007 and 2017 from the BASE jumping fatality list. Each fatal event was categorized using a Haddon matrix to analyze host (human), equipment, and environmental contributing factors.
What was found
A total of 223 fatalities were reported, including 197 cliff jumps and 137 wingsuit jumps. Impact and object strikes were the mechanism in 96% of fatal events. Key human factors were low pull or no pull (64%) and bad exits (15%). Equipment factors included off-heading openings, twists, and pilot chute entanglement, while environmental factors included strong wind, poor visibility, and water.
Why it matters
This study highlights how modern BASE jumping mortality has shifted heavily toward cliff environments and wingsuit use, pinpointing deployment failure and impact as primary targets for risk-reduction practices.
Limits
The study is based on an informal, community-maintained fatality registry, risking reporting bias and missing or misclassified details. Denominator data (total jumps performed) were not available, preventing calculation of true incidence rates or relative risks.
Cited by
- supports Wingsuit BASE jumping has a high fatality rate compared to other skydiving disciplines.