U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command Public Affairs Office
229 Cody Ave Voice: DSN 579-5515 (850) 884-5515
Hurlburt Field FL 32544 Fax: DSN 579-7249 (850) 884-7249
July 14, 2020
PARACHUTE ACCIDENT REPORT RELEASED
HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. – An Air Force Special Operations Aircraft Accident Investigation
Board report released today found a U.S. Air Force combat controller sustained fatal injuries
upon extraction from the aircraft in an accident that occurred on November 5, 2019, when his
reserve parachute inadvertently deployed.
Staff Sgt. Cole Condiff, a Special Tactics combat controller with the 23rd Special Tactics
Squadron, 24th Special Operations Wing, Hurlburt Field, Florida, went missing in the Gulf of
Mexico after his reserve parachute pulled him from the paratroop door of a MC-130H Combat
Talon II. He was declared deceased on November 8, 2019. A 17-day search failed to recover his
remains.
According to the AIB, Condiff was performing jumpmaster duties when his T-11R reserve
parachute inadvertently deployed into the wind stream during a static-line parachute jump
training event. The evidence indicated he likely sustained fatal injuries upon being pulled from
the aircraft.
The AIB board president found Condiff’s parachute deployed because it was improperly
configured—a direct result of the participating jumpmasters’ insufficient procedural knowledge.
He also found widespread misunderstanding of the regulatory requirements for safe static-line
parachute operations, which he attributed to a training deficiency within the 24 SOW.
Among the multiple factors leading to the accident, the board president found another
substantially contributing factor; the parachute technical order process failed to deliver
information effectively to the unit, resulting in incomplete knowledge of parachute operating
standards.
Condiff’s death occurred less than a month after the 24 SOW experienced another fatal training
accident. Tech. Sgt. Peter Kraines, a Special Tactics pararescueman, died October 8, 2019, while
participating in mountain rescue and climbing-related training near Boise, Idaho.
PRESS RELEASE
“Our people truly are our greatest asset” said Lt. Gen. Jim Slife, AFSOC commander. “We owe
it to them to continually evaluate how we operate and how we can be more effective.”
In response to the wing’s two training deaths, Slife directed an operational suspension of all
parachuting, diving, and mountaineering activities across AFSOC in order to complete an
extensive review of the equipment, safety procedures and regulations pertaining to these
specialized skills. Through this review, AFSOC identified a number of issues related to in-
garrison training practices and standards which reached beyond the 24 SOW and affected all of
AFSOC.
“It is apparent that these losses are a tragic consequence of a culture shaped by the demands of
the last 20 years,” said Slife. “Across AFSOC, we normalized a culture overly focused on
mission accomplishment, causing a lapse in training rigor, strict adherence to standards, and
vigorous oversight of high-risk activities at all command echelons.”
AFSOC’s conclusions match the key findings of U.S. Special Operation Command’s
Comprehensive Review, completed earlier this year. The results of the SOCOM review indicated
that across the special operations enterprise, mission execution was prioritized to the detriment of
leadership, discipline, and accountability practices.
Slife acknowledged that since 9/11, AFSOC prioritized operations over in-garrison training and
predictable deployment scheduling, resulting in stressed units across the command and leaders
accepting unnecessary risk for the sake of mission completion.
“Our Airmen have always found a way to do what we’ve asked of them,” said Slife. “It is our
responsibility now to improve how we resource and develop them in order to remove as much
risk from their missions as possible.”
In accordance with AFI 51-307, Aerospace and Ground Accident Investigations, the accident
investigation board conducted a legal investigation to inquire into all the facts and circumstances
surrounding the accident, prepared a publicly-releasable report, and obtained and preserved all
available evidence for use in litigation, claims, disciplinary action, and adverse administrative
action.
For questions concerning the AIB, please contact Air Force Special Operations Command Public
Affairs at 850-884-5515. A releasable version of the report is available under the ‘AIB’ menu on
the Air Force Judge Advocate General Corps website at http://www.afjag.af.mil. To submit an
electronic request for the full report including tabs, visit http://www.foia.af.mil/.
-30-
