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Man's Leg Falls Out Of Plane And Lands In N.Y. Backyard
AP ^ | 6/8/05

Posted on 06/08/2005 6:57:06 AM PDT by linkinpunk

Man's Leg Falls Out Of Plane And Lands In N.Y. Backyard

June 8, 2005

NEW YORK -- The body of an apparent stowaway was ripped in half during flight Tuesday and his leg crashed into a suburban neighborhood, where a homeowner found the severed limb in the middle of her lawn, authorities said.

Pam Hearne heard "a loud crash" and later was stunned to see a foot clad in an Adidas sneaker and a sock in her yard, said Officer Thomas Blanchard. The leg, with hip and spine attached, dented the shingled roof of her garage before bouncing into the lawn.

Police suspect the remains are from a stowaway who may have been crushed as the South African Airways jet lowered its landing gear on its approach to Kennedy Airport.

Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Jim Peters said the pilot of flight 203 would have probably started lowering the plane's landing gear in the sky over the home in Floral Park, about 5 miles from the airport.

Peters said a Customs agent that met the flight at the airport found another leg hanging from the wheel well.

The airline said in a statement that the flight landed with "no impact" on the passengers and crew and it was working closely with authorities to investigate how someone may have stowed away.

The flight originated in Johannesburg, and made one stop in Senegal. Authorities had not identified the remains, which were hauled away from Hearne's yard in a plastic bag.

Hearne, a special education teacher, said that when she first saw the leg in the grass, "it didn't look real."

"But I am very glad that I live where I do," she said, "so I don't have to run for my life like this man probably was doing."

There have been cases of stowaways being crushed by the mechanism in aircraft wheel wells and perishing from the extreme cold at high altitude.


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: hatewhenthathappens; stowaway
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To: linkinpunk
The leg, with hip and spine attached, dented the shingled roof of her garage before bouncing into the lawn.

Try explaining that to your insurance company.

41 posted on 06/08/2005 11:42:28 AM PDT by Bella_Bru (In Mercuristan, such questions are not tolerated.)
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To: linkinpunk

He used to be a foot taller.....


42 posted on 06/08/2005 11:43:57 AM PDT by llevrok ( Former Republican. Forever Conservative)
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To: linkinpunk

Perished trying to come to the US and get a leg up on his homies..


43 posted on 06/08/2005 11:47:52 AM PDT by IamConservative (To worry is to misuse your imagination.)
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To: Fierce Allegiance

Yep. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0115994/


44 posted on 06/08/2005 11:50:20 AM PDT by rabidralph
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To: BenLurkin; Doomonyou

I didn't do it.
I deny tossing legs out of aircraft.


45 posted on 06/08/2005 12:11:27 PM PDT by Darksheare (Hey troll, Sith happens.)
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To: linkinpunk
It was me, and I'm gonna sue the heck out of that airline.

...I got better...

46 posted on 06/08/2005 12:16:44 PM PDT by Billthedrill
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To: BenLurkin; Darksheare
Unnngh!

What, no pictures!?!

47 posted on 06/08/2005 12:28:19 PM PDT by Doomonyou (I don't think so, Scooter...)
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To: Doomonyou; BenLurkin

Afraid not this time.
But still.. "Man assaulted by leg from the blue!"


48 posted on 06/08/2005 12:35:09 PM PDT by Darksheare (Hey troll, Sith happens.)
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To: linkinpunk

Some people just come apart in a crisis!


49 posted on 06/08/2005 12:55:38 PM PDT by ZULU (Fear the government which fears your guns. God, guts, and guns made America great.)
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To: Doomonyou; Darksheare

50 posted on 06/08/2005 2:16:14 PM PDT by BenLurkin (O beautiful for patriot dream - that sees beyond the years)
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To: BenLurkin

Kinda flabby lookin thigh there..


51 posted on 06/08/2005 2:30:30 PM PDT by Doomonyou (I don't think so, Scooter...)
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To: Doomonyou

It's a Chicago chicken by way of Arkansas and New York.


52 posted on 06/08/2005 3:27:03 PM PDT by BenLurkin (O beautiful for patriot dream - that sees beyond the years)
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Comment #53 Removed by Moderator

To: linkinpunk

airline doesnt have a leg to stand on?


54 posted on 06/08/2005 7:38:03 PM PDT by isom35
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