No Charges in Wisconsin Skydiving Death

A skydiving death in Winnebago County this summer is being blamed on weather conditions and communication problems.

An Oshkosh Northwestern Media report says the case was referred to prosecutors but no criminal charges were filed.

Fifty-five-year-old jump instructor Paul Olsen and his client jumped from a plane July 9 as a storm approached. The owner of Skydive Adventure Inc. told authorities he radioed Olsen’s pilot multiple times telling him to abort the jump. But the pilot says he didn’t receive a communication until Olsen and the client had already jumped.

The two were blown off course and landed in Lake Butte des Morts. The client swam to shore but Olsen drowned.

Prosecutor Christian Gossett says the death could have been prevented but no one person was to blame.