CarolinaFest Skydiving Victim Identified As 68-Year-Old Carolyn Clay Of Williamsburg VA

A Williamsburg woman who was killed in a skydiving accident in Chester County Thursday afternoon during the annual CarolinaFest event has been identified as Carolyn Clay of Williamsburg, Virginia.

Clay, 68, received “blunt force trauma” during what authorities are calling a “hard landing,” at the popular annual event. The accident is still being investigated but officials say they are focusing on what may have been the incorrect packing of Clay’s parachute.

Officials with SkyDive Carolina released the following statement saying in part that Clay was a “highly experienced” skydiver and completed over 15,000 skydives:

“The skydiver safely deployed their main parachute, but experienced a malfunction,” officials with Skydive Carolina said. source

Chester County Coroner Terry Tinker said the accident appeared to be due to “human error,” and not an equipment failure.

“The Skydive Carolina staff and community mourn the loss of a fellow jumper who had a wonderful career in the sport,” officials said.

CarolinaFest is expected to run until Sunday.