Co-pilot falls from plane
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 492
Likes: 1
From: Manchester, UK
Something a bit illogical here.... why was the instructor practising steep turns? Should that not have been the student practising?
I'm always a bit jittery in a 150/152, cos it always seems like I'm about to fall out. Dont like those tinny doors one bit. Much much more secure feeling in a 172. Funny though cos I've flown cubs with all the glass opened out and I feel fine.
I'm always a bit jittery in a 150/152, cos it always seems like I'm about to fall out. Dont like those tinny doors one bit. Much much more secure feeling in a 172. Funny though cos I've flown cubs with all the glass opened out and I feel fine.
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 1,650
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From: southern england
QNH, your reference
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 49
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From: USA
There's that old joke...
The Tiger Moth instructor questions tyro:
"All right laddie, let us say that you have been honored by having his royal highness in the front as a passenger, and while showing orf your hopeless attempt at a victory roll out falls good King George. Now my lad what is the very first thing you do once you're back level eh?........ RE TRIM!"
The Tiger Moth instructor questions tyro:
"All right laddie, let us say that you have been honored by having his royal highness in the front as a passenger, and while showing orf your hopeless attempt at a victory roll out falls good King George. Now my lad what is the very first thing you do once you're back level eh?........ RE TRIM!"
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 5,896
Likes: 1
From: Rockytop, Tennessee, USA
Pilot Who Jumped Faced NASA Probe
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Filed at 9:40 a.m. ET
HOUSTON (AP) -- A man who apparently jumped to his death from a single-engine plane at 9,000 feet was the target of a federal investigation involving the theft of NASA technology, authorities said.
Russell Edward Filler, a 47-year-old engineer for a NASA contractor, became a suspect when federal authorities traced a NASA laptop computer to his home. The computer disappeared Oct. 25.
He was contacted by federal authorities Thursday.
On Sunday, Filler went to Hooks Airport because he needed more hours to renew his pilot's license.
Filler turned the controls of the single-engine Cessna 152 over to his flight instructor, then asked him to turn the plane sharply so he could get a better look at the ground, Waller County Sheriff Randy Smith said.
Smith said Filler then opened the cockpit door and unfastened his seat belt as the plane flew over a rural area about 45 miles northwest of Houston. The instructor looked away for a moment, and when he looked back he saw Filler's feet going out the door. Filler's body has not been found.
Filler told authorities last week that he bought the computer for $500 through an ad posted in a grocery store, said Harris County sheriff's Capt. Robert Van Pelt.
Van Pelt said Filler turned on the computer and saw that it had some non-sensitive NASA software on it, but he kept the computer. Filler admitted he knew the computer was stolen, Van Pelt said.
Filler worked for United Space Alliance since 1996 in the contractor's integrated test and verification group, which does ground testing for the international space station.
Waller County Sheriff's Lt. John Kremmer said officials are not officially calling the fall a suicide, but "there was no accidental exit from the aircraft.'' There was no indication he had a parachute, he said.
Federal officials inspected the Cessna, but found nothing wrong with its cockpit door latch or with the seat belt, Smith said. The investigation and the search for the body were continuing, authorities said.
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Filed at 9:40 a.m. ET
HOUSTON (AP) -- A man who apparently jumped to his death from a single-engine plane at 9,000 feet was the target of a federal investigation involving the theft of NASA technology, authorities said.
Russell Edward Filler, a 47-year-old engineer for a NASA contractor, became a suspect when federal authorities traced a NASA laptop computer to his home. The computer disappeared Oct. 25.
He was contacted by federal authorities Thursday.
On Sunday, Filler went to Hooks Airport because he needed more hours to renew his pilot's license.
Filler turned the controls of the single-engine Cessna 152 over to his flight instructor, then asked him to turn the plane sharply so he could get a better look at the ground, Waller County Sheriff Randy Smith said.
Smith said Filler then opened the cockpit door and unfastened his seat belt as the plane flew over a rural area about 45 miles northwest of Houston. The instructor looked away for a moment, and when he looked back he saw Filler's feet going out the door. Filler's body has not been found.
Filler told authorities last week that he bought the computer for $500 through an ad posted in a grocery store, said Harris County sheriff's Capt. Robert Van Pelt.
Van Pelt said Filler turned on the computer and saw that it had some non-sensitive NASA software on it, but he kept the computer. Filler admitted he knew the computer was stolen, Van Pelt said.
Filler worked for United Space Alliance since 1996 in the contractor's integrated test and verification group, which does ground testing for the international space station.
Waller County Sheriff's Lt. John Kremmer said officials are not officially calling the fall a suicide, but "there was no accidental exit from the aircraft.'' There was no indication he had a parachute, he said.
Federal officials inspected the Cessna, but found nothing wrong with its cockpit door latch or with the seat belt, Smith said. The investigation and the search for the body were continuing, authorities said.
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 17
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From: London
SAS who jumped
Going back to the SAS guy who jumped.
A while back - about 10 years ago (swings lantern for effect) - I was taking to some of the folks from the Rgt and we got to discussing parachute failures and what to do. Their plan was to 'fly' the body to the largest body of water they could see and then the skim the water to kill the vertical speed.
Me, I'd just assume the inverted ball position and kiss a** good bye.
Are there any psycologists around who would like pick the bones out of that one?
Quack
A while back - about 10 years ago (swings lantern for effect) - I was taking to some of the folks from the Rgt and we got to discussing parachute failures and what to do. Their plan was to 'fly' the body to the largest body of water they could see and then the skim the water to kill the vertical speed.
Me, I'd just assume the inverted ball position and kiss a** good bye.
Are there any psycologists around who would like pick the bones out of that one?
Quack
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 1,795
Likes: 0
From: New South Wales
Flt. Sgt Nicholas Alkemade fell 19,000ft out of a burning Lancaster and landed in a snowdrift in a pine forest. He woke up three hours later, dusted himself off and walked away with no injury apart from cuts from the pine branches which had broken his fall. The Germans were so amazed that when they found his parachute in the wreck they gave him a certificate to verify the occurrence.
Cue -- other amazing tales of survival after falling from aircraft?
QDM
Cue -- other amazing tales of survival after falling from aircraft?
QDM
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 5,068
Likes: 0
From: Brighton. UK. (Via Liverpool).
Ok, that will do for this one.
A bloke has leapt to his death in despair. This thread shows little or no sympathy at all instead it goes off onto miraculous escapes, old wives tales etc, etc.
I am not closing this but please, if you want to discuss people jumping out of planes and living and other stuff like that then someone start a seperate thread on it. Also, no-one knows for sure wether it was an accident or not, just speculation so far and gossip.
Give the guy, a fellow pilot too lets not forget, a bit of respect at least.
A bloke has leapt to his death in despair. This thread shows little or no sympathy at all instead it goes off onto miraculous escapes, old wives tales etc, etc.
I am not closing this but please, if you want to discuss people jumping out of planes and living and other stuff like that then someone start a seperate thread on it. Also, no-one knows for sure wether it was an accident or not, just speculation so far and gossip.
Give the guy, a fellow pilot too lets not forget, a bit of respect at least.
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 1,795
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From: New South Wales
BRL,
It's your party and you make the rules, but the idea that a discussion about this subject could have anything other than prurient interest is a bit far-fetched. This place bills itself as a 'rumour network' and yet as soon as anything unfortunate occurs it suddenly becomes as sanctimonious and prissy as a cathedral. The stench of hypocrisy tingles the old olfactory organ...
Your party, though, like I say.
QDM
It's your party and you make the rules, but the idea that a discussion about this subject could have anything other than prurient interest is a bit far-fetched. This place bills itself as a 'rumour network' and yet as soon as anything unfortunate occurs it suddenly becomes as sanctimonious and prissy as a cathedral. The stench of hypocrisy tingles the old olfactory organ...
Your party, though, like I say.
QDM
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 274
Likes: 0
From: Location, Location
I believe the incident QNH refers to was an a/c suffering from icing making a Pan/Emergency landing at Benson. Chap concerned was ex-forces, a bodyguard and a well-known sky-diver.
I had a door open on me on my first solo... gave me a shock but not much more. Was well harnessed in!
Hersh
I had a door open on me on my first solo... gave me a shock but not much more. Was well harnessed in!
Hersh
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 492
Likes: 1
From: Manchester, UK
At the risk of offending the moderator, & in no way dishonouring those poor departed souls who have lost their lives unintentionally, for anyone who wants to explore the tragic but sometimes quirky world of unplanned exist from aircraft, there is a website devoted to the subject.
http://www.channel1.com/users/html/p...fresearch.html
As a (sometimes) very nervous pilot, particularly when flying C150s for some reason, I take comfort in the fact that there's just a small chance that I may survive if that door comes open....
http://www.channel1.com/users/html/p...fresearch.html
As a (sometimes) very nervous pilot, particularly when flying C150s for some reason, I take comfort in the fact that there's just a small chance that I may survive if that door comes open....
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 5,552
Likes: 25
From: ME
I've had a friend skydive out of a C150 from 4000 feet, while it was easy to open the door, it was extremely difficult to force it open far enough for the jumper to exit the aircraft. I therefore fail to see how someone could fall out accidentally.
I also trust that as this happened in the good old USA, Cessna will be sued as the Airplane Flight Manual does not have a section on departing the aircraft with or without a parachute.
Mutt.
I also trust that as this happened in the good old USA, Cessna will be sued as the Airplane Flight Manual does not have a section on departing the aircraft with or without a parachute.
Mutt.
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 528
Likes: 0
From: London
Big Red L:
I don't want to be too cynical but you have to live in the real world. An estimated 200,000 people die every day on this planet, in a variety of different and sometimes curious ways. I feel equally gutted for all of them, but it would be false, not to say mawkish, sentimental and inane for me to claim to have an ounce of genuine feeling for this chap.
Let's leave the emotional incontinence to the Americans.
I still don't believe it was 9000 feet.
I don't want to be too cynical but you have to live in the real world. An estimated 200,000 people die every day on this planet, in a variety of different and sometimes curious ways. I feel equally gutted for all of them, but it would be false, not to say mawkish, sentimental and inane for me to claim to have an ounce of genuine feeling for this chap.
Let's leave the emotional incontinence to the Americans.
I still don't believe it was 9000 feet.
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 896
Likes: 0
From: US
THE REST OF THE STORY??
FROM AVWEB:
PLUNGE FROM PLANE A MYSTERY: Authorities have found the body of a Texas man who is thought to have jumped from a Cessna 152 last Sunday.
Authorities say Russell Filler wasn't wearing a parachute when he
exited the plane from 9,000 feet near Waller, Texas, leaving a startled flight instructor, Benito Munoz, alone in the cockpit.
Harris County Sheriff's office spokesman Robert Van Pelt told the Associated Press that Filler, an engineer for a NASA subcontractor, was about to be charged with theft for having a NASA laptop computer that Filler said he bought secondhand.
Authorities said they don't know if the circumstances are
linked.
PLUNGE FROM PLANE A MYSTERY: Authorities have found the body of a Texas man who is thought to have jumped from a Cessna 152 last Sunday.
Authorities say Russell Filler wasn't wearing a parachute when he
exited the plane from 9,000 feet near Waller, Texas, leaving a startled flight instructor, Benito Munoz, alone in the cockpit.
Harris County Sheriff's office spokesman Robert Van Pelt told the Associated Press that Filler, an engineer for a NASA subcontractor, was about to be charged with theft for having a NASA laptop computer that Filler said he bought secondhand.
Authorities said they don't know if the circumstances are
linked.
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 1,085
Likes: 0
From: Canada
The AvWeb post also contains this interesting link, "The Hewlett-Packard Incident: Employee Falls (?) From Company Plane" [http://www.avweb.com/newswire/news0051a.html], which is from Dec. 18/00.
For what is is worth, I second QDM's 19 Nov. post.
BRL, you're certainly not accountable to any of us, but it's a bit off that you purport to be Mother Morality just because you feel that people are not showing due respect for the fellow's decision to commit suicide. Let's remember that his stupid action has probably traumatized the poor old instructor, as well as added to the public's fear of flying in light aircraft. I have no sympathy for him. "Fellow pilot" indeed!
For what is is worth, I second QDM's 19 Nov. post.
BRL, you're certainly not accountable to any of us, but it's a bit off that you purport to be Mother Morality just because you feel that people are not showing due respect for the fellow's decision to commit suicide. Let's remember that his stupid action has probably traumatized the poor old instructor, as well as added to the public's fear of flying in light aircraft. I have no sympathy for him. "Fellow pilot" indeed!