Co-pilot plunges from small plane

[flydog]

Co-pilot plunges from small plane at 9,000 feet

Associated Press
Posted November 18 2002, 8:20 AM EST

HOUSTON -- The co-pilot of a single-engine aircraft plunged from the plane as it made a steep turn 9,000 feet over the Houston area.

The 45-year-old Houston man apparently jumped or fell from the plane Sunday afternoon near Prairie View, about 20 miles northwest of Houston, federal and local authorities told the Houston Chronicle for Monday editions.

An instructor pilot, the only other person on board, was concentrating on a steep turning maneuver when he heard a thump and saw the co-pilot's feet and legs leaving the airplane, Waller County Sheriff's Lt. John Kremmer told the Chronicle.

Kremmer said a search for the pilot in the area's pastures, woods and lakes was expected to resume early Monday.

Officials said the Cessna 152 had taken off 45 minutes earlier from David Wayne Hooks Airport in Spring. The pilot notified authorities about the incident before returning to the airport.

``The instructor and the aircraft landed safely,'' said Roland Herwig, spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration.

Kremmer said the co-pilot _ whose identity was being withheld pending notification of relatives _ had a pilot's license but could not fly alone because of an unspecified medical condition.

The instructor pilot told investigators that both men were strapped in when the small trainer aircraft took off from the airport.

``He just doesn't know at what point that changed,'' Kremmer said.

Kremmer said there was no indication the man had a parachute.

 

[MYFpilot]

Hopefully they don't find a shoe print on the student's back. You got to feel for this CFI, guess he just snapped. I thought about doing it myself many times to a few select "project" students. ..."That's nice Joe, you have done steep turns 450 times in a row consistently bad. Let's try it again, one LAST time"

 

[EagleRJ]

MYFpilot, very classy!

Hopefully if you buy it someday, no one will make fun of your death!

 

[C601]

9000ft ??

C152 @ 9000Ft doing steep turns ??? and where was the guys seatbelt......this CFI is in big trouble if you ask me.

 

[Pilot877]

And shame on them for not wearing parachutes! Another fine example of the cr@p reporting we have come to expect in the aviation industry.

 

[ShawnC]

Re: 9000ft ??

C152 @ 9000Ft doing steep turns ??? and where was the guys seatbelt......this CFI is in big trouble if you ask me.

That was my tought, first came a C152 hit 9000 ft? Then what the heck was he doing a step turn around, a mountian?

 

[ceo_of_the_sofa]

Hopefully they don't find a shoe print on the student's back. You got to feel for this CFI, guess he just snapped. I thought about doing it myself many times to a few select "project" students. ..."That's nice Joe, you have done steep turns 450 times in a row consistently bad. Let's try it again, one LAST time"

Can you say perfect murder?

Hey, buddy, crank that door for me, getting kind of hot here....there you go....ooops

 

[Birdstrike]

Kudos to MYF Pilot

Notwithstanding the tragedy of the incident, MYFPilot's reply just broke me up. Only a CFI would think of that.

 

[MINIME]

Just heard about this now
However, I instructed out of that airport and did alot of my flying out of there. There are no mountains anywhere near there if I recall correctly. The fact (as stated by the MEDIA) that they were at 9000 ft on a 152 seems a little odd. I can tell you that oround here during the nice hot and humid days, it takes about an hour to get to 6000 on a comfy 152. Nevertheless, as all of us CFIs know, there are some wierd, weird students out there! Before we jump into any conclusions we have to consider the student's background and personal life. Who knows, he could've recently lost his job or health or something.
My belief is that the CFI is totally innocent and was cought in someone's nasty idea of going out.

 

[FL000]

perhaps they were working on CG shift calculations.