A man died in a skydiving accident in the coastal city of Titusville, located to the east of Orlando, on Saturday, October 7, 2023. The individual was identified as 69-year-old Frederick C. Morello from Ormond Beach.

Morello, an employment lawyer, was found in a residential yard in his skydiving gear. This location is a mere block from Arthur Dunn Airpark. The airpark, accessible to the public, houses multiple skydiving centers.

The Titusville Police Department has taken charge of the case, though specifics regarding the accident are yet to be disclosed. The question of whether Morello was accompanied or was diving solo remains unanswered. Witnesses said his parachute had deployed but he had a hard landing and, according to James Sconiers, whose yard Morello landed in, he “bounced like a basketball”.

The Titusville Fire Department communicated about the incident on X, stating on October 7, 2023: “Skydiver down. Report of skydiver down on Merry Ln. This is located just adjacent to Arthur Dunn Airpark.” The Brevard County Fire Rescue team also responded to the scene. An initial call for a helicopter to the site was subsequently revoked.

Previous incidents linked to skydiving have been recorded near the Arthur Dunn Airpark. Notably, in 2020, two skydivers faced parachute complications leading to an uncontrolled descent, concluding with a collision into a tree and then into a residential yard. The outcome was severe injuries for both.

In light of these occurrences, the local community is advised to remain vigilant about ongoing skydiving activities. Further insights into the recent accident are awaited.