A copilot who jumped out of a plane late last month “visibly upset” with an inflight emergency, US officials said.
Charles Hew Crooks, 23, was second in command of a Spanishbuilt CASA CN212 Aviocar twinengine aircraft on July 29 in North Carolina, USA.
He and the unknown pilot were then transporting paratroopers The aircraft descended sharply, with its landing gear hitting a runway and being damagedaccording to a preliminary report by the National Transportation Safety Committee.
Crooks communicated with air traffic controllers to divert to another airport for an emergency landing, but about 20 minutes later he appeared “unstable,” according to a report from an ABC affiliate.
Plane undergoing emergency procedures in North Carolina after landing gear problem Photo: Reproduction / WRAL
The report released Tuesday (8/16) states how Crooks “was visibly upset about the crash landing” and cut communications with air traffic controllers at RaleighDurham International Airport.
Then he opened the side window of the cockpit. The pilot in command told investigators that Crooks “maybe was sick”indicating that it needed air.
The report said that at this point Crooks “got out of his seat, took off his headset, apologized and exited the plane through the rear ramp door”.
The aircraft was approximately 45 kilometers from RaleighDurham International Airport and Crooks I didn’t have a parachute. The copilot’s body was found hours later.