September 10, 2001

PRESS RELEASE

To: Newsroom

For Immediate Release

Contact: Brian A. Crawford, Public Information Officer

Phone: 673-6652, cell: 455-2609, page: 675-2137

Parachutist Recovering From Injuries Sustained in Weekend Accident

A Bossier City man is recovering at LSUHSC this morning from injuries he received this weekend during a routine parachute jump.

Jason Youngblood, 21, was jumping from a plane from Air One Aviation over the Downtown Airport when he had a "hard landed" on the airport’s runway. The accident happened Sunday around 4:17 p.m.

Downtown Airport official Les Wallace, the Controller in Charge, said that the tower noticed Youngblood having trouble when he did several unusual and erratic maneuvers over the airport before coming straight down for the last 100 feet or so. His parachute was deployed. When Youngblood landed on the runway, he landed straight legged and flat footed and we knew he was in trouble and called 911, said Wallace. Normally parachutists are designated to land in a grassy area on airport property but away from the runways.

Firefighters and paramedics rushed to the scene after a report from the tower that a parachutist was down and not moving on airport runway 14/32. When crews assessed Youngblood he was conscious, complaining of low back pain and suffering from a possible concussion. He was placed in a spinal package including a c-collar and backboard before being moved to the ambulance for transport to LSUHSC where he was later admitted. Today LSUHSC is listing him in good condition. ###