Skydiving instructor killed along with student in hard landing identified

A Perris Valley Airport skydiving instructor who was fatally injured, along with her student, after encountering a fierce wind gust while descending to land, causing a hard impact with the ground, was identified today.

Devrey LaRiccia, 28, of Menifee died Friday afternoon following the hard landing in an open field used by Skydive Perris in the 2000 block of Goetz Road.

Her student, whose identity was pending release, was also killed in the landing, according to published reports.   

LaRiccia's husband, Freddy Chase, and longtime Skydive Perris Executive Director Dan Brodsky-Chenfeld released statements via social media regarding the losses.

According to the men, LaRiccia and the student were making a tandem jump at about 2:30 p.m. Friday and were descending normally over the airport until about 40 feet from the surface, when they encountered several dust devils.

Devils' vortices mimic mini twisters and are not uncommon during peak heat in the desert southwest, churned up by convection.   

LaRiccia was able to glide away from one of the devils but was caught by its twin, at which point she and the student were hurled out of control onto the ground, witnesses said.

The victims were taken to Inland Valley Medical Center in Wildomar in grave condition. LaRiccia was pronounced dead at 3:22 p.m. Friday. There was no word on when the other victim succumbed.

LaRiccia was one of 22 skydiving instructors at Skydive Perris, and Brodsky-Chenfeld called hers a "tragic loss."  

"Devrey lived fully and inspired all of her colleagues,'' he said in a statement. "She was passionate about introducing others to the sport of skydiving. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families and friends of both Devrey and the student."

Fatal accidents have occurred off and on over the years during jumps at the airport. In 1992, Brodsky-Chenfeld himself narrowly survived one of the worst deadly mishaps involving skydivers on record.

Sixteen people were killed when the twin-engine plane he and 21 others were aboard crashed on departure due to a malfunction.   

The champion skydiver detailed the tragedy and its impacts in a 2011 book, "Above All Else."