Person jumps from aircraft landing at RDU

Salty said:
Pilot accidentally runs over the copilot, drags him in onto the plane, tosses him out, claims there was a gear issue.


/conspiracy.
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I guess somewhere along the line the pilot unbolted the gear, as well. It was truly missing.
 
Kenny Phillips said:
I guess somewhere along the line the pilot unbolted the gear, as well. It was truly missing.
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Even so, mine still makes about as much sense as the story as we know it. lol
 
Kenny Phillips said:
I guess somewhere along the line the pilot unbolted the gear, as well. It was truly missing.
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And now for The rest of the story:

The pilot accidentally runs over the copilot because the copilot out of sight chaining the gear to keep the pilot from flying off with the cargo of stolen merchandise the pilot then...


Salty said:
... drags him in onto the plane, tosses him out, claims there was a gear issue.


/conspiracy.
Click to expand...

See? It all works out. You just have to squint just right, thats all.
 
NTSB issues the preliminary report into the fatal accident involving a CASA C-212 Aviocar 200, N497CA, that occurred July 29, 2022, at Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU/KRDU), Morrisville, North Carolina:

On July 29, 2022, about 1404 eastern daylight time, a Casa 212-200, N497CA, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Raeford, North Carolina. The pilot-in-command was not injured, and the second-in-command sustained fatal injuries during the subsequent diversion to the Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU), Durham, North Carolina. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 skydiving flight.

The pilot-in-command (PIC) reported that they flew two skydiving runs then descended to the Raeford West Airport (NR20), Raeford, North Carolina, to pick up a third group of skydivers. The second-in-command (SIC) was flying the approach to NR20 and was “on heading, altitude and airspeed” until the airplane descended below the tree line and “dropped.” Both pilots called for a go-around maneuver, which the SIC initiated; however, before the SIC could arrest the airplane’s sink rate and initiate a climb, the right main landing gear (RMLG) impacted the runway surface. The PIC assumed the flight controls upon the airplane reaching 400 ft agl, then flew a low approach over NR20 to have airfield personnel verify damage. The personnel subsequently called the PIC to let him know that they recovered the fractured RMLG on the runway. The PIC directed the SIC to declare an emergency and request a diversion to RDU for landing.

While enroute to RDU, the crew coordinated with air traffic control, operations, and their customer, and planned their approach and landing at RDU, with the SIC responsible for communicating with air traffic control while the PIC flew the airplane. The PIC reported that there was moderate turbulence during the flight, and that about 20 minutes into the diversion to RDU, after conducting approach and emergency briefings, the SIC became visibly upset about the hard landing. Review of preliminary air traffic control radio communication information from the Federal Aviation Administration indicated that the SIC had been communicating with air traffic control up to that point in the flight. In his final transmission, the SIC acknowledged a course heading from air traffic control. The PIC described that about this time the SIC opened his side cockpit window, and “may have gotten sick.” The PIC took over radio communications, and the SIC lowered the ramp in the back of the airplane, indicating that felt like he was going to be sick and needed air. The PIC stated that the SIC then got up from his seat, removed his headset, apologized, and departed the airplane via the aft ramp door. The PIC stated that there was a bar one could grab about 6 ft above the ramp; however, he did not witness the SIC grab the bar before exiting the airplane. The PIC then turned the airplane to the right to search for the SIC. In a radio transmission to air traffic control about 1 ½ minutes after the SIC’s radio acknowledgement of the course heading, the PIC notified air traffic control that his copilot had departed the airplane without a parachute. The PIC proceeded on course to RDU, where he performed a low-approach and then emergency landing. Upon landing, the airplane departed the right side of the runway and came to rest upright in the grass.

Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed substantial damage to the RMLG, landing gear fittings, and the airframe structure where the fittings attach.
The airplane was retained for further examination.
 
More than I expected the prelim to say about it. I assumed it would just say the pilot left the aircraft under unknown circumstances.
 
Lowflynjack said:
NTSB issues the preliminary report into the fatal accident involving a CASA C-212 Aviocar 200, N497CA, that occurred July 29, 2022, at Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU/KRDU), Morrisville, North Carolina:
... stuff ...
The airplane was retained for further examination.
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I don't know what to think; did the pilot really see what happened, or did he perhaps badger the kid into suicide? That was speculated before, and wasn't something I would have put any credence on, but now, I don't know.
 
visibly upset about the hard landing … “may have gotten sick.”
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All that in about one minute, and then he jumped? Sorting this out isn’t obvious.

Can getting upset about an unpleasant experience cause someone to get sick to the stomach, and then become disastrously clumsy?

Or do suicidal people experience stomach discomfort?

There’s so much that I don’t know.
 
very sad. just seems so pointless to kill yourself over a relatively minor incident. i don't buy any of these ludicrous "the PIC pushed the kid to kill himself" theories

i think the NTSB preliminary is probably correct, i don't see them including those sort of details unless they have significant corroborating evidence of the facts. seems like the kid lost his head after the incident and bailed
 
I read somewhere (totally third hand), that it was a checkride for the guy that died. Also, third hand, it's a pretty hard assed operation. Military contractor with a pretty rough way of operating. PIC could have climbed all over the guy that jumped. He sees his career going down the tubes and decides he'd done.
 
Hang 4 said:
PIC could have climbed all over the guy that jumped.
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Possible, but it seems unlikely, at least to me, since the PIC was using the guy to do radio calls. He needed him to assist with the emergency, so I suspect he would have delayed any berating until they were safely on the ground.

Purely speculation, of course.
 
NoHeat said:
All that in about one minute, and then he jumped? Sorting this out isn’t obvious.

Can getting upset about an unpleasant experience cause someone to get sick to the stomach, and then become disastrously clumsy?

Or do suicidal people experience stomach discomfort?

There’s so much that I don’t know.
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I’ve absolutely seen people with anxiety get upset stomachs to the point of puking and otherwise completely distraught. Never to the point of suicide in the episodes I’ve observed, but people handle acute anxiety and panic attacks in different ways.
 
So here's a question: Let's say he was on one of his first flights with this company. Maybe even his first landing in the plane.

How much of a problem would this be career-wise for a 23 year old? Would it be considered a career ending event?

And I keep seeing "SIC" but does this plane require two pilots? And if it does, wouldn't that mean the PIC would bear the brunt of the responsibility?
 
donjohnston said:
How much of a problem would this be career-wise for a 23 year old? Would it be considered a career ending event?
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Not much of a blip in today’s pilot economy, I’d suspect.
And I keep seeing "SIC" but does this plane require two pilots? And if it does, wouldn't that mean the PIC would bear the brunt of the responsibility?
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Whether or not the plane requires two pilots is largely irrelevant, as there were two on board. The PIC is responsible for the safety of flight, per the reg. What level of retraining/rechecking that entails for the aircraft damage is hard to say, and had the SIC survived, he’d be participating in that as well, I’m sure. My understanding is that the PIC will have a fatal accident on his record now, however.
 
Matthew said:
If the guy was hurrying to puke out the back, it may be that urge to get to the door was greater than the self preservation urge to grab onto something.
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If that’s the case I guess stupidity kills. I’m giving the guy more credit than that and figuring it was a deliberate act.
 
Hang 4 said:
I read somewhere (totally third hand), that it was a checkride for the guy that died. Also, third hand, it's a pretty hard assed operation. Military contractor with a pretty rough way of operating. PIC could have climbed all over the guy that jumped. He sees his career going down the tubes and decides he'd done.
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I never had any issues when I worked for the company. Everyone was easy going. That was 12 years ago. It could have changed. Regardless I don’t see that being an issue. If they fired him he would have a job before to long in this market. Not like its 2001,9 or 20
 
donjohnston said:
So here's a question: Let's say he was on one of his first flights with this company. Maybe even his first landing in the plane.

How much of a problem would this be career-wise for a 23 year old? Would it be considered a career ending event?

And I keep seeing "SIC" but does this plane require two pilots? And if it does, wouldn't that mean the PIC would bear the brunt of the responsibility?
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The POH says it requires two crewmembers.
 
Matthew said:
If the guy was hurrying to puke out the back, it may be that urge to get to the door was greater than the self preservation urge to grab onto something.
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Suicide or accidentally falling out, I think it's hard to tell. Additional investigation might turn up some clues but we might never know for sure.
 
looks like it was a suicide.

Source: https://abc7chicago.com/pilot-jumps...s-ntsb-report-rdu-emergency-landing/12131120/

RALEIGH, N.C. -- The National Transportation Safety Board released its preliminary report about what happened on July 20, when a pilot fell to his death prior to another pilot in the same airplane making an emergency landing at the Raleigh-Durham International Airport.

According to NTSB, the two pilots were doing skydiving runs in the airplane. They had successfully finished two runs and were on their way to pick up a third group of skydivers when the plane was damaged.

The pilot in charge said that the second pilot -- previously identified as Charles Hew Crooks, 23 -- was flying the approach when the plane dropped and the right main landing gear hit the runway surface.

The pilot in charge took over controls. The pilot flew a low approach where Raeford West Airport personnel confirmed the landing gear was damaged. At this point, the pilots declared an emergency and coordinated with air traffic control to make a planned emergency landing at RDU.

During the flight to RDU, the pilots reported moderate turbulence. In addition, the pilot in charge said Crooks was visibly upset about the hard landing at Raeford West Airport.

About 20 minutes into the flight to RDU, Crooks lowered the ramp in the back of the airplane and "indicated that he felt sick and needed air," according to the preliminary NTSB report.

The pilot in charge turned the airplane to the right and briefly searched for Crooks. He notified air traffic control that Crooks appeared to have exited the airplane without a parachute.
 
Or it sounds like an unfortunate accident.
 
I don't know that it matters. He either fell or walked out, and to me either way it's a tragic lack of judgement. Maybe for a moment he saw his career flash before his eyes, based on the landing, and he couldn't get past that. It's just sad. I doubt the pilot had anything to do with it, including negative comments to the co-pilot. The pilot would be focused on getting the plane back down. That's a guess, of course.

To the original incident/gear, sounds like a headwind they were flying into, that went away when the went below the tree line. That happens. Add power, nose down, plan on going around...but I've not done it in an aircraft as large as that. Also speculation.
 
Ran to the back to throw up, didn't make it in time, lost footing in turbulence, and slipped on his own vomit. Easy to do if you're in a hurry and not thinking properly. Not going to buy suicide. Accident of some kind or other. Prove me wrong.
 
Still stuck on that first approach. Sounds like left seat wasn’t minding the store.

What also doesn’t make sense to me is why fully lower the ramp if a window is open for right seat to puke out of.

I’m also curious whether that window was open for right seat to try to get a view of the MLG.
 
Piperonca said:
Ran to the back to throw up, didn't make it in time, lost footing in turbulence, and slipped on his own vomit. Easy to do if you're in a hurry and not thinking properly. Not going to buy suicide. Accident of some kind or other. Prove me wrong.
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Was there puke anywhere in or on the plane?
 
I know the owner of the company. He is definitely a hard man. Retired Sergeant Major from Army Special Forces. I would have fired the kid, so I suspect he would too.

One thing I will say from my rides in the CASA 212. The floor slopes to the rear in slow flight. Feels like you are going to fall out when the ramp opens. Kinda freaky TBH.
 
I’d like to hear the SIC last transmissions, if he was that upset I would think you’d be able to hear it his voice?
 
One man's word, this accident will ways be controversial and never fully explained to everyone'ssatisfaction. Maybe the pic damaged the airplane and blamed it on the sic? I don't think this was a suicide. Probably a tragic accident, even if the pic story is completely true. It was a bad move to unbuckle and open that door while sick in turbulence.
 
Distraught and addled yes. Suicide no.
 
Tarheelpilot said:
Well even at 23 I wouldn’t have been that worried about getting fired from a drop one operator. Military meat bombs or not. I can’t wrap my head around the idea of being so defeated I jumped. Although I do think that’s exactly what happened.
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Years ago we had a case come through my office (I'm a forensic pathologist) of a kid that had completed med school and was in residency to be a surgeon, but was diagnosed with essential tremor. I can think of so many jobs he could have held, but he chose suicide...I could see this kid reaching the same decision.
 
Country Flier said:
You know that...but does a 23 year old?
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It’s tough to get fired for cause at any age, but even at 23 you should know that you have people who can provide a more balanced perspective. Impulsiveness is one of the hazardous attitudes that were taught to identify and avoid.
 
DG automatically assumes the PIC is "spinning" his story.

Screen Shot 2022-08-17 at 9.06.24 AM.png

Projection in action.
 
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