Tragic: Pamela Gower, 49, fell 15,000ft to her death after twice backing out of jumping because she was afraid of doing so alone

A skydiver with dwarfism fell 15,000ft to her death after she lost control while performing a barrel roll and struggled to stabilise herself because of her shorter arms and legs, an inquest has heard.

Pamela Gower had also twice backed out of leaping from the plane hours before the fatal sky dive because she was afraid of jumping alone, it was said.

The 49-year-old went up in the aircraft with her instructor Michelle Meakins but told her: 'My mind wants to do it but my body doesn't,' shortly before she made the jump that killed her.

The employment advisor jumped on her third chance but while attempting a 'barrel roll' manoeuvre she went into a high speed spin, lost control and was found on a road near a housing estate.

County Durham Coroner's Court heard that video footage captured of the fatal jump showed Ms Gower trying to deploy the parachute two or three times but the G force from the spin - greater than a fighter pilot - was too strong.

Tony Butler, chief operating officer at the British Parachute Association, told the court he thought that it would be more difficult for Ms Gower to stabilise herself in the air by arching because of her dwarfism.

He said: 'I think it would make it more difficult, part of arch is to extend your limbs and as she has short limbs it would be difficult.'

Ms Gower, from Hebburn in South Tyneside, was planning to leap from the plane not holding on to her instructor on September 10 this year.

Ms Meakins had encouraged her and told her: 'I know it's nerve wracking but you don't need me to hold onto you.'

Ms Gower was an employment advisor at Remploy's Newcastle branch and supported disabled people into work. She had a specially adapted harness because of her restricted height.

Ms Gower (pictured) was planning to jump from the plane not holding on to her instructor

She was found on a road at a housing estate close to the airfield at Shotton Colliery where her plane had taken off from the nearby Peterlee Parachute Centre.

WHAT WENT WRONG? Video footage of Pamela Gower's fatal jump showed her trying to deploy her parachute two or three times but the G force from the spin - greater than a fighter pilot - was too strong. Tony Butler, chief operating officer at the British Parachute Association, told the court he thought that it would be more difficult for Ms Gower to stabilise herself in the air by arching because of her dwarfism. He said: 'I think it would make it more difficult, part of arch is to extend your limbs and as she has short limbs it would be difficult.' Advertisement

Senior Coroner Andrew Tweddle said: 'So what we have is exceptional circumstances affecting a diver who is partially trained and because of her unique stature that made it difficult for her to recover through the arching technique.

'It's a combination of things all going wrong at the same time that led to the fatal outcome of this situation.'

Giving evidence, Ms Meakins said she had become good friends with Ms Gower and described her as 'very determined'.

Although Ms Gower had completed level five sky dives in Spain, Ms Meakins insisted that she went back over old ground and practised with her at a wind tunnel before agreeing to take her on as a student.

She said: 'For my own peace of mind as an instructor I wanted to fly with her in a wind tunnel and take on board myself that she was satisfactory to fly. She achieved that.'

The 49-year-old, who had dwarfism, had gone up in the plane with her instructor Michelle Meakins and twice decided not to jump alone. The scene where Ms Gower died

Ian Rosenvinge, the owner of Peterlee Parachute Centre - where the tragedy took place - told the inquest that Ms Gower had specially made kit to fit her frame which she had bought from the United States.

Inquest: A coroner recorded a conclusion of misadventure in the death of Pamela Gower

He passed on condolences to her family who questioned if too much time had lapsed between each of her sky dives.

Recording a conclusion of misadventure, Mr Tweddle said: 'The deceased suffered from dwarfism and was an experienced diver who had done jumps in Spain and in the UK.'

He went on to say that Ms Gower was 'properly prepared' to do the jump.

'She attempted a barrel roll, she didn't recover from this and went into a high speed spin. Her stature meant it was more difficult for her to recover from the spin and she was unable to do so. She lost consciousness.

'Her back-up parachute deployed correctly but she suffered fatal injuries when she hit the ground.'