CO-PILOT PLUNGES FROM SMALL PLANE 9,000 FEET OVER TEXAS; PILOT LANDS SAFELY

The Houston Chronicle ^ | 18 November 2002

[MeneMeneTekelUpharsin]

HOUSTON (AP) - 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.

[willy WOXOF]

"instructor pilot, the only other person on board, was concentrating on a steep turning maneuver"

must not have been very coordinated turns..

note ..more training in steep-turns needed.

[Sweet_Sunflower29]

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAA...

[Sweet_Sunflower29]

Hi there :)

Come here and check this out...

[SerpentDove]

NOT the WED ONE!!!

Don't EVER touch the WED ONE!!!

[MindBender26]

In flight, it takes tremendous exertion to open door of a Cessna 150, 152, 172 or the like. You are pushing about 1000 square inches into a 80 knot wind!

Pipers are easier (any low wind aircraft is because of laws of aerodynamics I won't do into here) But in a high wing A/C, such as Cessna mentioned above, even if unlatched, door opens about three inches and is very hard to open further.

This was no accident.

[MindBender26]

low wind=LOW WING

[wingtip]

That airport is at 152 ft. elevation. Can two men climb to 9000 ft. in 45 min in a 152? And why so high unless practicing aerobatics. Perhaps a hammerhead.

[RedBloodedAmerican]

He could have made us all winners.

[RedBloodedAmerican]

I thought maybe they were doing a Chandelle

[RedBloodedAmerican]

Hmmmm

[RedBloodedAmerican]

Dat wascilly piwot!

[MeneMeneTekelUpharsin]

Ritalin or prozac? Place your bets!

Oh...oh...that's mean.

[Congressman Billybob]

Remember our motto here at camp: "Gravity -- not just a good idea -- it's the law."

Congressman Billybob

Click for "Let's Hear It for Fraud -- And REAL Soon"

Click for "to Restore Trust in America"

[Froggie]

I agree it's likely a suicide - he'd have to have removed his seat belt to have fallen out.....I was flying a C150 over the Colorado mountains at 12,000 feet coming out of the mountains toward Boulder at a steep decent rate - the door popped open - scared the Bejeebers out of me, but no way I could have fallen out!

[The FRugitive]

The latch on 152s is not very solid. I've had the door on 152s open a couple of times on me in mid flight.

But if he was strapped in it shouldn't have been a problem. Hmmm...

[RedBloodedAmerican]

Suffered a brown-out?

[The FRugitive]

Not to mention, the door in a 152 latches first, then clamps from the inside.

Never unbuckle. We found this out the hard way when approsching a mountain ridge on the windward side at a 90 degree angle. My head smashed the air ducts on the ceiling, my family was glued to the cabin ceiling.

I think you're thinking of a 172.

[MotleyGirl70]

LOL!!!!! :)

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

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.

I guess he showed them. Not only did the guy fly without a pilot's license, but he also did it without a plane.

[wingtip]

Maybe just practicing suicide!
I had a 1964 172 that I used for aerial photography for a while.

I would take the right hand door off when I took pictures. A good pilot friend of mine would fly the left seat.

You can be sure I triple checked my seat belt, but I never
felt the least bit uncomfortable flying with the door off.

Sometimes we would intentionally slip the aircraft to the right as I could get sharper photographs and a clearer field of veiw.