Luke Rees

I had known Luke for the last 3 years. We met skydiving.

Luke was not only kind but genuine and had helped many people in the time I had known him. Luke had some demons however he was rational, realistic and reliable. He was a strong willed and very confident individual.

Luke was regarded as technically proficient by other jumpers in the community. However, he was not a conservative jumper. He had completed several jumps that were deemed highly risky and above his skill level by more experienced jumpers.

I had been ground crewing for Luke for approximately a year before I started jumping. Luke with the help of a significantly more experienced jumper on the peripheries had been an unofficial mentor for me.

I will make this point very clearly- I am not an FJC jumper, and I acknowledge this is highly controversial in the BASE community. I am a skydiver. I will not labour this point, but my preparation was not insignificant, and I do not believe this fact had any impact on Luke’s death.

Although Luke jumped all objects, I exclusively jumped free standing antennas in open paddocks with him. We always used a static line set-up. Luke used a take-a-way system consisting of length of finger trapped brake cord- stitched into place. This was made by Luke, under the supervision of a rigger. It also contained a stainless hard-link and was connected to a loop mid-way in his bridle.

He always used 2 separate loops of 80lb break cord and a 48 vented PC. Although I did not see his pack on the day. He normally flat packed with clamps and used factory deep toggle settings for these jumps.

I had personally seen Luke execute successful jumps on at least 10 occasions with this system. Luke was always adamant he did not want pin checks or his pin cover opened on jumps.

The offer and decline of pin checks can be heard in several exit point videos. Despite this he would do them for others.



The antenna Luke died on is a free-standing antenna it is bordered to the east by a cane field and the west by a machinery yard. The exit is to the south, and the LZ is flat grass, a rough rectangle shape approx. 50m x 100m. It has a large triangular platform at the top. A double flat railing. That is easy to climb onto and a stable footing. There is a strong vertical pole that also serves as a hand hold. There is space directly at the base of the antenna that roughly up to a 145 +/- degree off heading could be placed down safely without significant correction.

We had jumped this antenna on 4 previous occasions. Wind conditions had ranged from 0-4 knots W/SW. Luke, and I had successfully jumped another antenna the day before.

He seemed in good spirits and both of us had been off work for the last week. I do not believe tiredness is a significant factor. We planned to meet at a local petrol station at 0445hrs. There was another jumper Kurt coming with us. I was giving him a lift and offered Luke a lift as well. Luke declined stating he would drive himself. I found this weird. But didn’t overthink it.

The load consisted of 3 jumpers all skydivers (Australian D licence). All beginners at BASE with Luke being the most experienced with 72 jumps. Both Luke and Kurt had attended an FJC. Kurt and I arrived at the antenna at 0500hrs. Luke had not arrived. I sent a message at 0501hrs telling him we had arrived and were walking over to assess the landing area. He replied at 0504hrs stating he was a few minutes away. Luke arrived shortly after and we chatted a for a minute.

Luke seemed in a normal mood and was excited to jump. We did our own individual gear checks, and I set up a camera on the ground running a long exposure. We geared up and climbed the antenna. It takes roughly 10 minutes. We had a short recovery period at the top and determined exit order. I was to jump first, Kurt second and Luke last.

I did a wind check. The wind was a very light with a maximum gust recorded of 2.8knts. The wind was from the W/SW. I set up my static line and double checked it. I asked for a pin, bridle check and for my pin cover to be open. Luke did this for me. Luke was offered a check. He declined.

I climbed onto the exit at approx. 0530hrs. I asked for additional bridle checks and that I was clear. I also confirmed my own bridle routing to my bottom pin. I jumped at approx. 0531hrs. I had a clean opening and slight push to the east from a gust of wind. A minor toggle correction set up for a soft-landing facing SW.

Kurt climbs onto the exit roughly 0532hrs.

Review of his video confirms several safety checks occurring and a brief discussion of the wind push I received after exit. Luke provides Kurt with a PCA at roughly 0533hrs. The second jumper has a clean opening and lands uneventfully. We watch Luke setting up on the exit. He takes approximately 2 minutes. He exits at approx. 0535hrs.

It is dark and difficult to make out more than a shape falling through the air. He impacts the ground approximately 2 seconds later.

Kurt and I were at his side within 20 seconds. Luke was unresponsive. He had sustained obvious severe injuries. Kurt and I commenced immediate emergency first aid procedures.



Ambulance services were called immediately. Kurt and I stayed with Luke and assisted the emergency services. Luke passed away at the scene.



We did not inspect the canopy or equipment on the scene. It had come free of the container and was significantly tangled. We do not know what caused this accident for Luke.

Several experienced base jumpers along with those of us involved have reviewed the footage.

We believe we can hear a static line break. Confirming he attempted a static line jump as planned. The video is difficult to make out clearly. But it appears nothing came out of the container. The PC appears to be trailing behind him. I can confirm he geared up with the PC in the BOC.

It should be noted that on review of videos in recent months Luke had changed his exit position from belly to earth orientation to a jump up and out in a very head high position similar to sit fly. We are unsure if this contributed to a pinlock scenario in the context of a closed flap or pin orientation.

If there is any learning to be had:

Please try to encourage giving and accepting gear checks. It could save a life. At this stage we do not know if this would have prevented this incident. But it is all we can offer currently.

Luke will be missed.