Brian was killed during a HALO parachuting accident on Wednesday, 4 September 1996 at the Yuma Arizona Military Free Fall school. Preliminary information: Eyewitness accounting... Brian was performing a day jump with a student. Stored in his right thigh pocket on his jumpsuit was a beacon held on with the white dummy cord. This cord was attached to a cotton eyelet just above the pocket. Brian and the student fell stable to 4000ft where the Student is required to pull. The instructors continue another 1000ft. Instructor cadre jump with a civilian rig that employs a drogue chute. Brian grabed the drogue and deployed it. Looking back to clear the pocket he immediately realized that it was tangled up in the beacon lanyard. Brian cut away his main and deployed his reserve, which also got tangled up. Brian was found still gripping the lanyard trying to break it free of his suit. Brian had a Terminal building dedicated to him on March 27th 1999
Photos from the memorial for Brian.
Shadow Box on the wall of the building
Instructor Cadre in formation for the event
The front of the building. Plaque on the large rock is part of dedication
Luke Air Force Base Honor Guard posting the colors
LTC Carins (Commander of 2nd BN, 1st Special Warfare Training Group)
Brians daughter (lauren) on the left, parents (Pat and Barbara) on the right
LTC Carins shows lauren some of the equipment her father jumped with
Daughter lauren
LTC Carins showing Lauren inside of "Daly Special Operations Airborne Terminal" and the shadow box.