Although the news reports appear to leave open the possibility that the "copilot's" departure from the aircraft was unintentional, a number of acquaintances overheard the subsequent conversation between the surviving instructor and the Center on guard freq, and indicate that the explanation tended to turn on the phrase "jumped out of the aircraft."
Yes, I did get this directly from those who heard it first hand, and yes, it still qualifies as a rumor.
Some additional data from the FAA's prelim report. Could have sworn they said 9000 first... now he's out at 9500. Also note that the FAA report uses the word "jumped..." The report says that the aircraft landed without incident, but that appears to be only half the story...
Dave
IDENTIFICATION
Regis#: 4794P Make/Model: C152 Description: 152, A152, Aerobat
Date: 11/17/2002 Time: 1945
Event Type: Accident Highest Injury: Fatal Mid Air: N Missing: N
Damage: None
LOCATION
City: HOUSTON State: TX Country: US
DESCRIPTION
ACFT LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT AFTER STUDENT PILOT JUMPED OUT OF ACFT WITHOUT
A PARACHUTE AT 9,500 FEET, HOUSTON, TX
INJURY DATA Total Fatal: 1
# Crew: 2 Fat: 1 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:
# Pass: 0 Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:
# Grnd: Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:
WEATHER: DWH METAR 02111853UTC 23009KLT 10SM K\\SKC 19/05 A3020
OTHER DATA
Activity: Training Phase: Unknown Operation: General Aviation
Departed: HOUSTON, TX Dep Date: 11/17/2002 Dep. Time: 1900
Destination: HOUSTON, TX Flt Plan: NONE Wx Briefing: N
Last Radio Cont: NONE
Last Clearance: NONE
FAA FSDO: HOUSTON, TX (SW09) Entry date: 11/18/2002
Last edited by av8boy; 19th Nov 2002 at 07:25.