Salt Lake City Firefighter Gabe Reilly Dies in 700-Foot Utah BASE Jump

Q: What caused an experienced firefighter’s wingsuit jump in northern Utah to turn fatal within seconds of launching from a 700-foot perch?

It turned fatal because, moments after Gabe Reilly launched from the roughly 700-foot cliff, his wingsuit did not generate enough lift, leaving him unable to sustain glide or clear the terrain. Authorities said he then struck the ground at high speed and died from his injuries. Cache County Chief Deputy Doyle Peck said Reilly was experienced in BASE jumping and was with a group of about eight to 10 jumpers in the mountains east of Millville Canyon, near Leetham’s Hollow, a site known locally as a popular BASE-jumping area. But experience did not prevent the accident; officials’ account is that “something went wrong” in the initial seconds of flight. The short height of a 700-foot BASE jump is critical to understanding why the failure became fatal so quickly. Wingsuit BASE jumping leaves little margin for recovery if the suit does not pressurize properly, produce enough lift, or if the launch profile is off. At that altitude, there are only seconds to correct the flight path or deploy emergency equipment before impact. Rescue crews were called shortly after 9 a.m., and a Life Flight medical helicopter helped recover Reilly’s body from the rugged area after he fell into a gully. Reilly, 27, had served four years with the Salt Lake City Fire Department.

3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Sep 28

Gabe Reilly, 27, died Sunday after his wing suit failed to generate enough lift during a BASE jump from a 700-foot perch east of Millville Canyon in Cache County.
Emergency crews were called just after 9 a.m., and sheriff’s officials said Reilly—described as experienced in the sport—hit the ground at high speed; a flight medical crew later recovered his body.
The Salt Lake City Fire Department said Reilly had served for four years and had followed his father into the department before his father retired in 2024.
The northern Utah site, more than 45 miles north of Ogden near the Idaho border, is popular with BASE jumpers in a sport that has seen multiple recent fatalities in the state.
Two other BASE jumpers were killed in southeastern Utah on June 14, underscoring the continuing risks of the high-altitude sport.