Romulus Rood was driving along Ashland City Highway when he saw the emergency response vehicles lining the road and stopped to see what was happening. After an officer learned Rood had tree climbing gear in his truck, Rood said they enlisted his help to get the stranded parachuter out of the tree.
Emergency vehicles drive back out of a side road off Ashland City Highway as the rescue operation winds down after a skydiving accident in Nashville, Tenn., Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025.

Authorities found a skydiving instructor dead and rescued another person from a tree after the pair became separated during a tandem jump in Nashville.

The Metro Nashville Police Department said they found the 35-year-old instructor's body via helicopter around 6:45 p.m. on Oct. 4. They believe he fell without a chute.

The other skydiver became lodged in a tree with an open parachute in the woods in northwest Nashville, according to police. Rescue crews were able to get him down safely from the tree after an hour-long effort. He was taken to the hospital as a precautionary measure, according to Nashville Fire Department spokesperson Kendra Loney.

"Three other skydivers who jumped moments earlier landed safely," the Metro Nashville Police Department said on X. "The plane landed safely at Tune Airport."

Police Sgt. Douglas Sykes said it appears the instructor came loose from the harness while the other person remained attached to the parachute.

Loney said the man rescued was suspended in a tree. Crews had to work their way through 3 miles of densely wooded area off Ashland City Highway using chainsaws to clear a path to reach him. The crews rigged up several ladders to reach high enough to get the person, who was alert and able to use his legs, down.

Romulus Rood was driving by when he saw the emergency vehicles lining the road and stopped to see what was happening. After an officer learned Rood had tree-climbing gear in his truck, Rood said the crew enlisted his help to get the stranded skydiver out of the tree.

While he didn't climb the tree, he was on site as rescuers worked to bring the man to safety. Rood said the man told him it was his first time skydiving.

"And his last," Rood added.

The Federal Aviation Administration will be investigating the incident, according to police. No other details, including the identity of the instructor or the man who was rescued, were immediately available.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Instructor dead, one rescued from tree after skydiving mishap in Nashville, Tenn.

Reporting by Rachel Wegner, USA TODAY NETWORK / USA TODAY

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