Norwalk Man Dies In Skydiving Accident: Report

NORWALK, CT — Police said a 25-year old Norwalk man was killed in a skydiving accident in Florida while making his 85th jump, according to media reports. The incident occurred Sunday afternoon around 4:20 p.m., according to police.

Joshua Butzke made the fatal jump at Skydive City, a parachuting center at Zephyrhills Municipal Airport, the Connecticut Post reported. Skydive City officials said Butzke jumped from the plane at about 13,500 feet, and his parachute parachute opened about 3,500 feet from the ground.

Officials said Butzke's parachute began to spiral somewhere between 1,000 feet and 800 feet from the ground, causing him to fall hard, according to the Connecticut Post. He was subsequently taken to East Pasco Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

Officials said Butzke was on his second day of skydiving with the center, where he had already jumped 13 times over the course of two days, the Tampa Bay Times reported. He was a licensed skydiver, having obtained his license in New York in 2017.

Butzke worked in Wilton as a financial planner for three years, and was born and raised in Port Jefferson Station, N.Y., according to the Tampa Bay Times. The incident is currently being investigated by the Federal Aviation Administration and the Zephyrhills Police Department.

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