Female skydiver, 37, suffers horrific propeller death while taking photos at Kansas airfield
A female skydiver and photographer has died after backing into a propeller while taking photos at a Kansas airport.
The woman, identified on GoFundMe as 37-year-old Amanda Gallagher, died Saturday at Cook Airfield in Derby, according to the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office.
She had been taking photos of people getting on and off planes in the Air Capital Drop Zone when she backed into an active propeller, according to ABC affiliate KAKE.
Friends who paid tribute to Gallagher on Facebook said she was a professional photographer from Wichita, Kansas, near the airport.
Amanda Gallagher, pictured, died Saturday after backing into a moving airplane propeller while taking photos at a Kansas airport
The emergency services were called on Saturday around 2.40 pm. They airlifted the woman to the hospital, where she died from her injuries.
“Amanda Gallagher was kind, adventurous, creative and beautiful inside and out,” reads a fundraising page for the woman.
“She was a loving daughter, sister, aunt and friend and will be deeply missed.”
Gallagher started skydiving earlier this month and became hooked after her first try, according to her Facebook page.
She posted a video of herself falling out of a plane with the caption, “This was my first solo jump!! I’m in love.’
Gallagher also shared a photo of herself posing next to a plane in skydiving gear a week later with the caption “best feeling ever.”
The skydiving field where Saturday’s tragedy occurred. Gallagher had only recently started skydiving and enjoyed the sport
Gallagher is pictured enjoying her first solo skydive in September. She is remembered as a ‘young, talented photographer’
Friends paying tribute on Facebook remembered Gallagher as a “young, talented photographer” who was a “kind and gentle presence in the world.”
Gallaghers GoFundMe page is raising money to cover her funeral costs. So far, more than $6,000 has been raised.
“On October 26, Amanda passed away in a very sad accident while doing what she loved: skydiving and taking photos!” it says on the fundraising page.
“While her family copes with this tragic accident, they could use your help to cover funeral costs.
“Please consider helping them and keep them all in your prayers as well.”
The incident is under investigation.