Fort Bragg soldier dies in 'freak accident' while skydiving

OAK ISLAND, N.C. — Sgt. 1st Class Justin Goff of the United States Army died in a skydiving accident at the Cape Fear Regional Jetport Sunday morning, according to Sgt. Loyd Hames with the Oak Island Police Department.

Officers responded to a skydiving accident call around 10:45 a.m. Goff was pronounced dead at the scene.

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Hames said Goff’s parachute did deploy but blamed high winds for the accident.

Goff was reported to have been from Florida and was stationed at Fort Bragg.

Hames said Goff was on a recreational skydiving trip and called it “a freak accident.” Goff did not hit anything on the way down, according to Hames.

Airport director Howie Franklin said he spoke to staff who witnessed the incident. Franklin said he believes that Goff's chute collapsed while he was making a turn and couldn't get enough wind to re-open it. He called it "a freak accident."

An autopsy is set to be performed to determine the exact cause of death.

WSOC