California skydiving instructor, 28, dies after hitting 'dust devil' during routine jump

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, Calif. - An instructor and student at Skydive Perris in Riverside County died after encountering a "dust devil" which sent the pair crashing to the ground in what many described as a "freak accident." 

Devrey LaRiccia Chase, 28, was skydiving with a student on Aug. 2 when she hit the "dust devil" around 40 feet above the ground, her husband and fellow skydiver Freddy Chase shared in an Instagram Story. 

Devrey LaRiccia was one of nearly two dozen instructors at Skydive Perris. / Photo courtesy Skydive Perris

LaRiccia and her student were able to safely glide away from the first dust devil, but it was the second one that sent the pair into an "uncontrollable spin," her husband said.

"There was no malfunction, there was no plane incident, she was turning her canopy on final to come land safely on the grass, like she has done hundreds of times," he added.

"Eyewitnesses report that the tandem pair experienced a normal free fall and parachute deployment. All aspects of the equipment and skydive was normal without any reported issues until the landing sequence. While preparing for landing, the tandem pair hit disturbed air known as a "dust devil". The interaction with this sudden disturbed air caused turbulence and a hard landing for both individuals," Skydive Perris manager Dan Brodsky-Chenfeld said in a statement.

According to the National Weather Service, dust devils are small tornadoes that form in areas of strong surface heating, like Arizona, when there are clear skies and light winds.

"With dust devils going over grass, they become invisible because you can't see any dust in the direction they're going," LaRiccia's husband said.

LaRiccia and the student were transported to the hospital where they were both pronounced dead. The student's identity has not been released at this time.

The family of LaRiccia started a GoFundMe in an effort to bring her home to be buried in her home state of Maine.

Devrey LaRiccia / GoFundMe

"We knew that Devrey was well-loved among the skydiving community, however, what we couldn't foresee was her impact across not only the U.S, but overseas as well. Since creating this, our phone's have been buzzing non-stop with support and love for our angel," her family wrote. 

According to its website, Skydive Perris has been in operation for nearly 50 years and is touted as "one of the largest and most established skydiving dropzones in the US," facilitating more than 100,000 skydives annually. 

Located at Perris Vallery Airport, the facility is popular among both locals and celebrities. Most recently, Tom Cruise was at Skydive Perris filming an episode of "The Late Late Show with James Corden" in July. 

LaRiccia was one of the 22 instructors part of the Skydive Perris team. 

Brodsky-Chenfeld called LaRiccia "a beloved member of our skydiving community." 

"The skydiving community is small and tight-knit, and this tragic loss has profoundly affected the Skydive Perris community. Devrey LaRiccia lived fully and inspired all of her colleagues. She was passionate about introducing others to the sport of skydiving. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families and friends of both Devrey and the student," he said in a statement.

Skydive Perris Management is cooperating with local authorities as the investigation continues.

Perris is located about 71 miles east of Los Angeles.