FORT MYERS BEACH, Fla. -- Marine safety officers yesterday were investigating a parasailing accident that killed a vacationing Kentucky woman and her teen-age daughter who dropped more than 200 feet into shallow water when a harness broke.

The U.S. Coast Guard's Marine Safety Office was looking into weather conditions, operation of the 20-foot vessel Hang 'Em High and the license of its operator to determine whether negligence was involved, said Lt. j.g. Steve Ward.

A finding of negligence could lead to license revocation or civil penalties after an administrative hearing, Ward said.

There was no immediate indication that the company, AA Parasail and Waverunners, Etc. Inc., had any previous record and nothing to indicate the vessel had any prior problems, Ward said. Company employees answering the telephone yesterday refused comment.

Lisabeth Hope Bailey-Straney, 37, and Taylor Straney, 13, of Vine Grove, Ky., died of massive internal injuries in Wednesday's accident, said Dr. Rebecca Hamilton, Lee County's acting medical examiner.

As the pair fell, people watched in horror, including Bailey-Straney's elder daughter, Kristin Bailey, 18, from Lawrenceville, Ga., and Kristin's friend Katherine Glackin, 18, from Radcliff, Ky. They were in the tow boat and were not hurt, said Gary Morse, spokesman for the Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission.

During the parasailing outing, weather suddenly soured when a front moved in mid-afternoon. Winds picked up, and a downpour followed.

The mother and daughter were riding together, attached to one harness, when a sudden squall hit and winds gusted to 25 mph.

''How much a role this played we don't know yet,'' Ward said.

As the mother and daughter were being reeled toward the boat, the harness came apart and they plunged the equivalent of a 25-story building into the surf, authorities said. Stunned onlookers called 911.

Investigators said flying height for parasailors depends on a number of variables, including the type of vessel. It's not yet known whether the 250-foot drop could have been because wind gusts swept the pair upward first, Ward said.

No agencies regulate parasailing, although commercial parasail boat captains are required to hold a license issued by the Coast Guard. Ward said operators are expected to use sound judgment, maintain equipment and keep abreast of the weather.

Ward acknowledged that a tragedy like this could prompt authorities to set guidelines for parasailing.

Earlier this year, the Coast Guard proposed regulations to set safety standards and training for winchboat operators.

The Orlando-based Parasail Safety Council also has been pushing for safety guidelines. The 3-year-old organization says parasailing deaths worldwide number between 12 and 20 a year with serious injuries sometimes as high as 500 annually.

Most accidents are the result of flying at high altitudes, operating during poor weather conditions, lack of safety instructions and faulty or unsafe equipment.

Also blamed for accidents are equipment failure, water landings in high winds or rough seas, flying too close to the shoreline, tow line problems or an inexperienced crew, according to the safety council.