How common are skydiving accident deaths? Not very. Only 8 in a million skydiving jumps result in a fatality

Three men have been killed in skydiving accidents in Massachusetts this year, highlighting the risks of what many consider to be a dangerous sport for thrill seekers and adrenaline junkies.

In mid-August, Daniel Pelrine, a 37-year-old Mattapan iron-worker, plummeted to his death in Pepperell, after having made hundreds of skydiving jumps. On Sunday, Andrew Munson, 29, of Nantucket, and his instructor, Eldon Burrier, 48, of West Lynnwood, Wash., were killed during a tandem jump. 

The likelihood of a skydiving-related death, however, is far lower than that of being killed in a car crash, by a firearm, or while crossing the street. In fact, the odds of dying in a skydiving accident are akin to those of being killed by lightning, according to National Safety Council data.

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