Extreme Skier Shane McConkey Dies in Base Jumping Accident

Fox News ^ | 3-27-2009

[My Favorite Headache]

Friday, March 27, 2009

Print ShareThisCanadian extreme skier and base jumper, Shane McConkey, died Thursday following a ski-base accident that ocurred while filming his latest movie in Italy, the Inquisitr reported.

McConkey, 39, experienced problems in the air after jumping off of a cliff in the expectation that he would be able to detach his skis and deploy his parachute, thus enabling him to glide safely to the ground, according to the Inquisitr.

According to a witness, one of McConkey's skis failed to detach causing him to spin out of control and ultimately prevented him from deploying his parachute, the Inquisitr reported.

[chuck_the_tv_out]

“3½-year-old daughter Ayla”

[My Favorite Headache]

[peace with honor]

bummer

[rocksblues]

Check out the equipment man. Jessica would!

[BenLurkin]

Sad.

[My Favorite Headache]

Dude had BALLS of steel.

[JenB987]

Sad, but if you play with fire, eventually you’ll get burned.

[pissant]

I guess that’s what extreme stupidity sometimes brings. RIP

[al_c]

“3½-year-old daughter Ayla”

That alone would make me think twice before attempting any life-threatening stunts.

[Tax-chick]

Very sad for his family ... but it seems like it would more newsworthy if he HADN’T died.

[Big_Monkey]

"...expectation that he would be able to detach his skis and deploy his parachute, thus enabling him to glide safely to the ground...

Yet again, another example of Darwinian evolution unfolding right before our very eyes.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Taking the plunge with Shane McConkey

[Deb]

A few years ago I was supposd to produce a TV special for NBC on Extreme Sports. I contacted the agents of all the most famous extreme athletes I knew about and every single one of them was dead. The special was ditched.

[AxelPaulsenJr]

Don’t follow. Why would not being able to detach his skies, effect his ability to deploy his parachute?

[WayneS]

Yup.

I quit roadracing motorcycles the year my son came along.

But, WOW, do I ever miss it!!

[PBRSTREETGANG]

His choice to engage in extremely high risk activities.

Very sad for his little girl.

[mysterio]

Prayers up.

Here's a video of him ski-base-ing off of a building. It was a successful jump. You can see the skis detach.

[WayneS]

I agree. There almost has to be more to it. Maybe the chute got tangled in the ski?

[EDINVA]

The family will issue a statement that he died doing what he loved. Sad for a child to lose her daughter so young.

[AxelPaulsenJr]

Strike that, I just re-read the last paragraph of the article. Duh!

[Kozak]

It's the law.....

[PBRSTREETGANG]

If he’s struggling to detach a ski, his speed of descent increases, it catches air, and he starts windmilling I would imagine.

[Lee'sGhost]

Please clue me in.

[My Favorite Headache]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mhomaFZd0Y

[boomop1]

Like Evil Knievel, dare devils face the ultimate fate may he RIP.

[Pistolshot]

Dude had BALLS of steel.

Too bad the rest of him wasn't.

[TChris]

How sad...

Extreme Sports: For adrenaline junkies who will be killed by their addiction.

[Gatún(CraigIsaMangoTreeLawyer)]

A nomination for the Darwin Award.

[Deb]

Amen, brother.

[allmendream]

As Norm MacDonald said long ago....

At that level you are either “world class champion”

Or “stuff on a cliff”.

This guy went swiftly from being one to the other.

[Virginia Ridgerunner]

Splat!

[JenB987]

Occasionally we’ll tune into motocross shows and what-not because my husband used to race. We watched some stupid show on MTV with Travis Pastrana called Nitro Circus where all they do is base jump off buildings and canyons and try to back flip trucks, bikes or lawn mowers. Extreme sports and adrenaline junkies desperately begging for some attention and an early grave.

It’s not even entertaining, and that’s coming from someone who really enjoys ATV’s and motorcross.

[Neoliberalnot]

Is he up for the Darwin award?

[Woebama]

Evil Kneival made it.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

I wouldn't try that if you paid me a million dollars.

[Electric Graffiti]

Hopefully the Italian authorities will charge his family for recovery efforts.

[SampleMan]

I’m not sure that the word “accident” quite fits a death resulting from purposefully skiing off of a cliff.

[AxelPaulsenJr]

Oh come on, how much can spatulas cost?

[ClearCase_guy]

As I tell my kids: Always ask yourself "What could go wrong?"

As an example: Your expectation that you would be able to detach your skis and deploy your parachute, thus enabling you to glide safely to the ground.

This expectation could turn out to be faulty. So, what's your Plan B? What? You don't have a Plan B?

[The Toll]

Does this mean we can go back to the days were my deoderant wasn’t EXTREME!!!! What about potato chips and toothpaste, do they have to be EXTREME!!! still?

I don’t need 5 blades on my EXTREME!!! razor either.

[Cooter]

I thought Red Bull gives you wings.

[So Cal Rocket]

A nomination for the Darwin Award.

He is ineligible as he has already passed on his genes to an offspring.

[DallasDeb]

Watching the video, it doesn’t appear that he detaches his skis before parachute deployment on other jumps he has made. Must have been a new process.

[Petronski]

He was addicted to chemical substances...the ones known as adrenalin and endorphin.

[South Hawthorne]

That alone would make me think twice before attempting any life-threatening stunts.

Makes you wonder why he didn't.

Either extreme stupidity or overwhelming narcissism.

Probably both.

[AnalogReigns]

Steal gonads? Nope. It’s love of pleasure—hedonism.

I don’t mean to cruel, but those who practice extreme sports do NOT exercise courage in the real sense of the word.

Real courage is based on love of others...so much so you are willing risk and give up your life for them.

Extreme sports types risk everything, simply for a feeling—and that is sad.

[Petronski]

I opened a jar of that extreme peanut butter and it was nothing but peanuts. Oooh, this is radical! --Jim Gaffigan

[politicalmerc]

Yup.

I quit roadracing motorcycles the year my son came along.

But, WOW, do I ever miss it!!
**********************************************************

Even if you don't know it, you quit because your son would miss you more. I love risk. I would do all those things, but it would be selfish of us to do so. My children deserve a father. We aren't luxuries to them.

I hate he died, but I wish he had loved his child more than his extreme sports high.

[delphirogatio]

I feel the same way about serving portions in restaurants...I don’t need/want 8 lbs of frenchfries, no matter how tasty they might be. I’d like a modest portion to eat, not a trough to feed at.