Navy SEAL’s parents sue manufacturer of parachute son used when he died in training accident

The parents of a Navy SEAL, who died in a 2014 parachute training accident, are suing Airborne Systems of North America, the chute’s manufacturer.

Steve and Beth Cavner filed a lawsuit alleging defective design, negligence, and wrongful death, in San Diego federal court, according to the Los Angeles Times.

A gust of wind caused Chief Petty Officer Bradley Cavner’s parachute to deploy prematurely, according to a Navy investigation released to, and published by the Times, following a Freedom of Information Request by the paper. He then hit his head on the plane’s door. The impact caused the aircraft to buck, the Times reported. Cavner died instantly.

The fatally faulty equipment was an MC-6 Maneuverable Troop Parachute System — a steerable chute used by the U.S. Special Operations Command when dropping into war zones.

“We believe there was a defect in the way this was designed and that allowed it to flap open,” San Diego attorney David Casey told the Times. Casey is representing the family.