Co-pilot jumps from plane-23y.o. Charles Hew Crooks

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Can't wait to see the "Air Disasters" about this one. Also want to hear the CVR - Cockpit Voice Recorder - for additional information on the dynamics of this tragedy.
 
Based on my understanding of the FAA’s Preliminary Report on this incident, Mr. Crooks, who was the Second In Command on the flight, seems to have deliberately jumped. This is IMO only, but I suspect he was likely feeling that he had utterly ruined his chances of being a professional pilot (and wasted all of the time and considerable money he would have invested in pursuing that career) due to the damage he did to the aircraft’s landing gear on his first failed attempt to land the plane. The Pilot In Command of the plane took control after this, at which time the co-pilot looked and acted visibly distressed (he threw up, poor guy) and apologized to the pioot in command before he left the cockpit (which seems to have been quite contrary to standard operating procedure).


”The second-in-command (SIC) was flying the approach to NR20 and was “on heading, altitude and airspeed” until the airplane descended below the tree line and “dropped.” …however, before the SIC could arrest the airplane’s sink rate and initiate a climb, the right main landing gear (RMLG) impacted the runway surface. The PIC assumed the flight controls upon the airplane reaching 400 ft agl, then flew a low approach over NR20 to have airfield personnel verify damage. The personnel subsequently called the PIC to let him know that they recovered the fractured RMLG on the runway. The PIC directed the SIC to declare an emergency and request a diversion to RDU for landing.
While enroute to RDU, the crew coordinated with air traffic control, operations, and their customer, and planned their approach and landing at RDU, with the SIC responsible for communicating with air traffic control while the PIC flew the airplane. The PIC reported that there was moderate turbulence during the flight, and that about 20 minutes into the diversion to RDU, after conducting approach and emergency briefings, the SIC became visibly upset about the hard landing... In his final transmission, the SIC acknowledged a course heading from air traffic control. The PIC described that about this time the SIC opened his side cockpit window, and “may have gotten sick.” The PIC took over radio communications, and the SIC lowered the ramp in the back of the airplane, indicating that felt like he was going to be sick and needed air. The SIC then got up from his seat, removed his headset, apologized, and departed the airplane via the aft ramp door.“
 
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realanastasia said:
Based on my understanding of the FAA’s Preliminary Report on this incident, Mr. Crooks, who was the Second In Command on the flight, seems to have deliberately jumped. This is IMO only, but I suspect he was likely feeling that he had utterly ruined his chances of being a professional pilot (and wasted all of the time and considerable money he would have invested in pursuing that career) due to the damage he did to the aircraft’s landing gear on his first failed attempt to land the plane. The Pilot In Command of the plane took control after this, at which time the co-pilot looked and acted visibly distressed (he threw up, poor guy) and apologized to the pioot in command before he left the cockpit (which seems to have been quite contrary to standard operating procedure).


”The second-in-command (SIC) was flying the approach to NR20 and was “on heading, altitude and airspeed” until the airplane descended below the tree line and “dropped.” …however, before the SIC could arrest the airplane’s sink rate and initiate a climb, the right main landing gear (RMLG) impacted the runway surface. The PIC assumed the flight controls upon the airplane reaching 400 ft agl, then flew a low approach over NR20 to have airfield personnel verify damage. The personnel subsequently called the PIC to let him know that they recovered the fractured RMLG on the runway. The PIC directed the SIC to declare an emergency and request a diversion to RDU for landing.
While enroute to RDU, the crew coordinated with air traffic control, operations, and their customer, and planned their approach and landing at RDU, with the SIC responsible for communicating with air traffic control while the PIC flew the airplane. The PIC reported that there was moderate turbulence during the flight, and that about 20 minutes into the diversion to RDU, after conducting approach and emergency briefings, the SIC became visibly upset about the hard landing... In his final transmission, the SIC acknowledged a course heading from air traffic control. The PIC described that about this time the SIC opened his side cockpit window, and “may have gotten sick.” The PIC took over radio communications, and the SIC lowered the ramp in the back of the airplane, indicating that felt like he was going to be sick and needed air. The SIC then got up from his seat, removed his headset, apologized, and departed the airplane via the aft ramp door.
Click to expand...
When I initially heard about this tragedy I was so confused by the fact that someone would actually do something like this. The more I read about Charlie though, I wondered if maybe (due to the failed initial landing and damage to the aircraft) the pressure was all too much. He had experienced/accomplished a lot in his short life. I wonder if the thought of being a disappointment, or being less than perfect was more than her could handle. Maybe in spite of being well educated, he failed to develop the skills to deal with this emotionally. That is the only thing that even begins to explain such a devastating reaction to something that in the big scheme of life was literally a "bump in the runway".
 
From what I can tell, the Raeford West (NR20) airport is a dirt strip just off of Vass Rd, north of Raeford. It doesn't seem to have any facilities like a control tower, etc. There are several "drop zones" near there and at least one popular skydiving business located nearby at PK Airport, a couple of miles east of NR20. There's also Fort Bragg and its paratroopers located nearby, which probably has something to do with skydiving's popularity around there.

It's hard to say, but maybe this was some kind of shoestring operation for parachuting. I'm completely clueless when it comes to air traffic control, regulations, and parachuting. Could operating some kind of unlicensed or unsanctioned service have also led to the co-pilot's distress? MOO

ETA I think my comments may be off base. This article suggests the plane's owner may have been a subcontractor to the US Army in the past and possibly they were doing some kind of training exercise related to that Pilot Fell To His Death From A Damaged Aircraft - Mentour Pilot
 
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From the articles I've seen, Crooks was a licensed pilot and certified flight instructor. They had completed two rounds of drops for a couple of parachute groups (Raeford West Airport) During the landing of the second group the landing gear of the plane had been damaged. I believe Crooks was upset and went back to examine the damage... he was so upset he did this without a tether and fell to his death. He made a very poor decision. Jmo
 
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fred&edna said:
From the articles I've seen, Crooks was a licensed pilot and certified flight instructor. They had completed two rounds of drops for a couple of parachute groups (Raeford West Airport) During the landing of the second group the landing gear of the plane had been damaged. I believe Crooks was upset and went back to examine the damage... he was so upset he did this without a tether and fell to his death. He made a very poor decision. Jmo
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Information available with some Google-Fu shows that most anyone with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to operate this aircraft would know how to open the jump door & look at the landing gear. Good idea to look at the damage when one has that option.

Now that person would also have known to use the tether, sadly.

IMHO Crooks underestimated the wind force and fell, a very poor decision indeed.

jmho ymmv lrr
 
New article; DOD contracted plane company failed to comment on death of co-pilot

”Rampart Aviation, which boats of its Department of Defense contracts, has remained silent over the death of Charles Crooks, 23, who died falling 3,500ft from a plane in North Carolina on July 29.

The company is also in the midst of a bitter lawsuit with a former pilot who claims that he was blocked for a promotion and training by those in charge of Rampart.

[…]

Crooks' death also comes amid Rampart being embroiled in a bitter lawsuit against a former pilot who claims they breached his military rights by sacking him after they refused to promote him.”
 
IMHO Rampart Aviation will remain silent until the Federal Aviation Administration releases their report of the events here.

My Dad was a licensed pilot. The FAA can suspend your pilot's license for an indefinite period of time during an investigation, they can withdraw your license completely. The FAA is very serious about the safety of pilots and the safety of the passengers, public, and cargo.

Rampart Aviation will not speak publicly until the FFA does because Rampart Aviation wants to stay in business imho.

jmho ymmv lrr
 
what the what? how can they possibly know that absent a note or letter or something said to the PIC?
 
AzPistonsGirl said:
what the what? how can they possibly know that absent a note or letter or something said to the PIC?
Click to expand...
Probably stomach contents being found inside the esophagus or mouth, or corrosion from same with no medical history of acid reflux (GERD). I admit I'm not entirely satisfied with such an explanation, because who's to say that such a process wasn't the result of the terminal fall itself. (never skydived or sat in a cockpit aloft)
JMO
 
ifindedout said:
Probably stomach contents being found inside the esophagus or mouth, or corrosion from same with no medical history of acid reflux (GERD). I admit I'm not entirely satisfied with such an explanation, because who's to say that such a process wasn't the result of the terminal fall itself. (never skydived or sat in a cockpit aloft)
JMO
Click to expand...

I'm a skydiver who has vomited out of the open door of a moving plane once before (not proud, and my friends called me "Ralph" for months after :oops:), and IMO beyond a total fugue state, intense shock, or psychosis, it would be VERY hard for me to believe this was an accident. Even after dozens of skydives, there was still a small part of my self-preservation that says, "why are you doing this?" as I approached the door, and if I were of sound mind at the time you can bet I'd be using every safety option available (holding the bar at the very least! but really NO WAY I'd approach the door without a rig on) to not fall out of the plane, even while wearing my skydiving gear. I think it was around 100 jumps that my self-preservation finally stopped firing alarm bells before every jump, but I still obsessively checked my handles of my gear (safety procedures) before jumps, and always had someone else on the plane do a gear check for me as well. Again, just my opinion.

My first thought when reading this story today was of this young woman at Stanford who allegedly impulsively committed suicide after receiving an email that her degree was in jeopardy due to disciplinary action. https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2022/12/01/education-stanford-death-lawsuit/

Talented, passionate, perfectionistic young people who it seems felt they'd made a mistake that would cost them their dreams forever. Tragic.

Also IMO the Daily Mail is a tabloid and IMO there is absolutely no way to ever know this was an accident.

All IMO
 
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