Army cites human error in fatal parachute jump

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TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) - The Army has determined that human error led to the death of a 27-year-old Army Ranger who survived six deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, only to perish in a parachute training accident near Marana last year.

Army investigators found that Staff Sgt. Christopher Roulund was killed when a fellow Ranger who jumped just after him became entangled in Roulund's parachute.

The Rangers training near Marana were practicing a high-risk maneuver often used in covert missions requires troops to jump at high altitude, then free-fall with parachutes closed most of the way down.

A report on the Army's investigation of the Ranger's death was obtained by the Arizona Daily Star under the Freedom of Information Act.