People at the scene said Ivan looked really tired. He had been trying to fix some issues with his new video gear and seemed a bit out of it. However, no one thought anything was wrong.
From 10,500 feet in the air, Ivan watched as nine skydivers jumped out of the plane. He held onto the side until the last student and instructor jumped, then he let go — with the camera rolling — to film their freefall.
But there was a terrifying issue: Ivan wasn’t wearing a parachute.
Somehow, this experienced jumper — the guy who always checked his equipment twice — had gotten on the plane without one. It was hard to believe, given his years of experience.
As he fell toward the ground at 150 mph, his camera kept recording. He instinctively reached behind him, only to find nothing there.
“One investigator later said it looked like Ivan reached for his parachute and realized he didn’t have one,” one investigator later explained.
“Then the footage started moving really fast because he was getting close to the ground at 150 mph.”
Ivan’s body was discovered about a mile from the airfield, in a wooded area. He had landed on his right side.
According to those on-site, Ivan was exhausted. He’d been working out kinks in his new video equipment and seemed distracted. Still, no one suspected anything unusual.
From 10,500 feet above the ground, Ivan watched as nine parachutists jumped before him. He held onto the side of the aircraft until the final student and instructor leapt, then let go — camera rolling — capturing their freefall.
But there was a chilling problem: Ivan wasn’t wearing a parachute.
Somehow, the seasoned jumper — the man who always double-checked his gear — had boarded the plane without one. With years of experience behind him, it was almost unthinkable.
Approached the ground at 150 mph
His camera kept recording as he instinctively reached behind him, only to find nothing was there.
“From what I saw, it looked like Ivan was trying to grab his parachute, but he didn’t have one,” one investigator later said.
“Then the images started moving really quickly because he was coming down at 150 mph.”
Ivan’s body was discovered about a mile from the airfield, in a forested area. He had landed on his right side.
“Everything was held within the skin, and there was very little bleeding,” stated Capt. Ralph Brown from the sheriff’s department.
Authorities quickly dismissed the idea of suicide. The video from Ivan’s helmet camera showed a heartbreaking scene: a man making a deadly error, his last moments captured on film.
“He forgot to put on his parachute,” investigators determined.
Walter Rigsbee from the Federal Aviation Administration mentioned, “We still need to gather all the details, but there is a rule, No. 105, that requires the pilot to check… no one is allowed to jump unless the pilot has checked the parachutes.”
Ivan McGuire’s last words
Even after many years, the events of that day still trouble those who were close to him. Nancy Fayard, the wife of the owner of the parachute center, couldn’t believe what had happened.
“If anyone had known, they would have stopped him,” she remarked.
Recently, the tragic story of Ivan Lester McGuire has gained attention again and gone viral. A video of his last jump shows the heartbreaking final moments of an experienced skydiver who made one terrible error.
As the video plays, viewers are left in shock as McGuire, during freefall, suddenly realizes the unthinkable: he has jumped without a parachute.
The camera keeps recording as the reality of the situation sinks in for him—both physically and emotionally.
Then comes the chilling moment that sends shivers down the spine of everyone watching. His last words, captured on film, resonate with pure fear and disbelief: “Oh my God, no.”
A well-known skydiver. A regular jump. A small error that led to a tragic loss. Ultimately, it serves as a haunting reminder that even the most experienced can make mistakes.
