wildblue 7 #26 November 18, 2002 Quote "Passenger Sucked to Death Over Atlantic." That sounds like a great way to go!! it's like incest - you're substituting convenience for quality Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AggieDave 6 #27 November 18, 2002 I wish I could get sucked to de...Oh, crap, that was outloud, wasn't it.--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hooknswoop 19 #28 November 18, 2002 OK, so maybe the guy won't turn up. Still very strange. Hook Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Michele 1 #29 November 18, 2002 QuoteNow, the really scary part of this is that a lot of folks try to fix this when they're at 100 feet or so just after takeoff -- bad move being distracted too close to the ground. No, Quade, the really scary part was that he let me fly....! Actually, it was likely self preservation, inasmuch as he knew he had a panicky person next to an open door....and was distracted by me saying "ofuckofuckhelpmeshit" and leaning his direction...LOL... I think there is far more to the story than is being disclosed right now...Airann may have it right. In any case, blue skies for him, and for all those who knew him, I send my condolences. Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Luminous 0 #30 November 18, 2002 I dunno Derek, I read..... (we're all going on what we read/heard/suppose)..... that he was a licensed pilot with a medical condition that didn't allow him to solo, (conditionally licensed?), thus he was flying with an instructor. The pilot in the left seat stated they were both strapped in at takeoff. He also stated he heard a 'bump' and looked to see the guys legs leaving. He had been concentrating on the instruments while performing a steep turn. I wonder who suggested this manuver? could it have been right seat dude wanting the aircraft at that angle to assist his exit? (at this point I'm assuming it was a steep right turn). When right seat dude exited the aircraft, left seat dude notified authorities via radio prior to returning to Hooks. Doesn't seem like something one would do for 'bandit' jump. I'm thinking suicide. As for finding the body, the pilot wasn't exactly sure where he was when the dude exited. And as mentioned, we've had some screaming uppers here lately. They've got a wide area to search. I'm just glad he didn't land on somebody else.BSBD 'In an insane society a sane person seems insane.' Mr. Spock Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hooknswoop 19 #31 November 18, 2002 Ya Lum, I gotta agree. Really sounds like he wasn't wearing a parachute and did it intentionally. Too bad. Hook Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Luminous 0 #32 November 18, 2002 Latest from the Houston Chronicle..... By TERRY KLIEWER Copyright 2002 Houston Chronicle Waller County deputies continued an air and ground search today for the body of a Clear Lake area man who apparently dove out of the small plane he had been co-piloting west of Houston on Sunday. Waller County Sheriff Randy Smith said the search for the body of Russell Filler, 47, of the 14,600-block of Graywood Grove, resumed at daylight across a broad area of rice fields and pasture land south of Prairie View. Filler was flying in a Cessna 152 at about 9,000 feet when he turned the controls over to the instructor accompanying him on the flight and suddenly leaped out of the cockpit at about 1:45 p.m., Smith said. The sheriff said Filler left behind no note and said nothing out of the ordinary to his flight instructor before the incident. "The instructor had looked away for a moment, then heard a noise and looked back to see the guy's feet disappearing out the door," the sheriff said. The instructor, from a flight school at Hooks Airport in northwest Harris County where the flight originated, was co-piloting the flight so that Filler could update certain aspects of his pilot's license, the sheriff said. The instructor flew the plane back to Hooks and talked with authorities shortly afterward. According to Smith, he told investigators that Filler had turned control of the plane back over to him and asked him to bank the plane sharply so that he could see the ground better. Said Smith, "He told the instructor he needed to get a better view of the land for taking pictures his next time up. When he looked away briefly, he (the instructor) heard a bump -- that was the seat belt hitting the side of the plane, we guess -- and saw him go out of the plane." Filler apparently unfastened his seat belt and opened the cockpit door in the brief time the instructor looked away, the sheriff said. Smith said investigators visited Filler's Clear Lake area home and talked with his employer, United Space Alliance, a NASA contractor, but learned nothing so far that suggested a motive for the man's action. The search for Filler's body was focused on an area of roughly 20 square miles, bounded on the north by U.S. 290 Business, on the east by FM 359, on the south by Brumlow Road and on the west by FM 362. Smith said the instructor didn't see where Filler's body fell but believed he was approximately over that area, just south of Prairie View, when the incident happened. Authorities were using a helicopter and searching on foot.'In an insane society a sane person seems insane.' Mr. Spock Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
happythoughts 0 #33 November 18, 2002 Quote I recall some real newspaper headlines about passengers extracted by depressurization. One was: "Passenger Sucked to Death Over Atlantic." HW The first "mile-high club" fatality. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wmw999 2,589 #34 November 18, 2002 Dang! Too slow. I work for United Space Alliance (not with him though -- he's onsite at NASA), and had just heard that Channel 11 was out at our main building. Graywood Grove is in my subdivision. I'm not a big rumors person usually, but this is just WAY too juicy. Wendy W.There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
diverdriver 7 #35 November 18, 2002 Quote>t is virtually impossible to fall out of a C-152 by accident under normal circumstances . . . Maybe there was an explosive depressurization, and he was sucked out by the force of the air rushing past him. I see it in the movies all the time. Bill, that would be "blown out" not "sucked out"........Sheeeesh....get your technical terms right before you post! This is just sad. But I think Mark Harju had the most correct assesment of this. Man, bizarre. Now, there was a case awhile back in a Twin Otter for Hewlett-Packard where their daily shuttle had a female employee intentionally jump from the plane using the back emergency (right side) door. Very odd tale. http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?ev_id=20010110X00078&key=1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wmw999 2,589 #36 November 18, 2002 The current article (www.chron.com) makes it quite clear that current thought is that it was a deliberate act. Duh. It's really pretty sad. He was active locally with middle and high school students and a couple of professional associations. Wendy W.There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rhonda66 0 #37 November 18, 2002 There's a thread over at studentpilot.com about this too. I feel for the instructor. What a horrible way to end your life Rhonda PP ASEL Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pilotdave 0 #38 November 18, 2002 Quote What a horrible way to end your life Compared to the alternatives, I disagree. Overall I'd say that's a pretty good way to go. Horrible that anyone would want to commit suicide, but not such a bad way to die I don't think, if you really want to. Dave Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rgoper 0 #39 November 18, 2002 not to be insensitive, and it takes me a lot to be sarcastic, but doesn't this qualify him for a Darwin Award? hell, guess it beats falling off a ladder? too bad for the ol' fella, guess the strain was more than he could bear. --Richard-- "We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
trfenwyd 0 #40 November 18, 2002 just the shear fact that the guy got OUT of the 152 is amazing. They are cramped, little airplanes that don't give you enough remove to breath, let alone move around. And during steep turns, centrifugal force holds you in the seat, belted in or not. Seriously, you would have to actively try, it's not easy (especially with a rig on :) ) to fall out of a 152.... in vino veritas- (there is truth in wine) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
narcimund 0 #41 November 19, 2002 I've jumped 152s. It's not that hard. First Class Citizen Twice Over Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rgoper 0 #42 November 19, 2002 Quote I've jumped 152s. It's not that hard. with, or without jump doors? the news reported tonight that this incident is under investigation, because they do not believe the squirrell that jumped could have jumped without the pic knowledge or support. stay tuned, i believe the jury's still out on this one! life insurance? screwing his old lady? provacative questions/thoughts to say the least! --Richard-- "We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Michele 1 #43 November 19, 2002 Been thinking about this all day...couple of questions for you guys. 1. Wouldn't the other pilot feel the air opening the door at 9K? Wouldn't it have been a cold blast or something? 2. He's banking hard to the right...the jumper had to've been on the right side and the driving pilot on the left (or else the jumper would have had to go "uphill", right?) and he didn't see him open the door? 3. How hard would it be to open a door against that kind of wind? (I only have experience with the rolly-doors on T/O's...) 4. It mentioned that the jumper was restricted on his pilot's license. Any idea why? Terminal illness? 5. How close were the two pilots? Life-long friends? Relatives? Still don't know what to think about all this, but assisted suicide sounds plausible. I just can't see it as "unassisted", you know? Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zennie 0 #44 November 19, 2002 Quotedoesn't this qualify him for a Darwin Award? Nah. It has to be an act of incredible stupidity. If you intentionally kill yourself, you really haven't done it out of stupidity. - Z "Always be yourself... unless you suck." - Joss Whedon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zennie 0 #45 November 19, 2002 Well, while we walk down the murder tangent a bit... I wonder if anybody actually saw the two of them getting into the plane. I mean, if it was a murder, there would be a struggle, and I'd think the pilot would know that. I sure wouldn't want to risk my neck (and jail time) because I botched a murder attempt inside an airplane. If it was a murder, I'm willing to bet he managed to somehow get the already dead guy onto the plane, dumped the body, and then made up the story. - Z "Always be yourself... unless you suck." - Joss Whedon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AirMail 0 #46 November 19, 2002 Yeah. And nobody reported that he said "Here, hold my beer while I ... Oops".-- It's never too late to have a happy childhood. Postal Rodriguez, Muff 3342 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Michele 1 #47 November 19, 2002 Quote Well, while we walk down the murder tangent a bit... Um, I was referring to assisted suicide in the most literal of senses, as in dr gives extra meds to a patient who requests it, etc...not assisted suicide as in murder. Sorry if I wasn't clear. But yeah, those are good questions if one thought homicide was possible. Which, I guess, it is.... Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pilotdave 0 #48 November 19, 2002 I agree with the assisted suicide idea, assuming they were very close friends, which I don't know. I have a feeling there is a LOT more to the story than was reported. There is no way he could get all the way out without the instructor noticing anything. Either he knew full well what was going on and chose not to say so, or there was a struggle of some kind and it didn't get reported. You're not just gonna look over and suddenly find the other person just missing. I don't trust the media at all, so my guess is the story is far more complicated than was reported. But I'd guess it was a suicide however it happened. Dave Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AggieDave 6 #49 November 19, 2002 Quote don't trust the media at all, so my guess is the story is far more complicated than was reported I agree with you there! And once the story actually gets unraveled and is much less sensational then it seems, do you think it will be covered? Hell no! Fucking media... "CNN, more news from less sources!"--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rgoper 0 #50 November 19, 2002 Quote Mystery surrounds apparent death of pilot Did he fall or jump or neither? 11/18/2002 By Nancy Holland / 11 News HOUSTON(KHOU)-- The search continues for a man who may have plunged 9,000 feet to his death from a small plane. He has been identified as Russ Filler. Authorities have been told that Filler was the co-pilot of a single-engine Cessna 152 aircraft that took off from Hooks Airport in Spring Sunday night. Waller Country Sheriff's Lieutenant John Kremmer says officials are trying to determine whether the man fell out or something went wrong. Kremmer says the instructor was concentrating on the turning maneuver when he heard a thump, then saw the man's feet and legs leaving the plane. Meanwhile, the Federal Aviation Administration refers to the incident as a man "jumping" from the aircraft. Filler worked for United Space Alliance. Those who knew him called him intelligent and well thought of by his colleagues. He is a former Chairman of AIAA, the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. Filler was often pictured with NASA astronauts and a number of members of the Houston Congressional delegation. Investigators say, however, that last Thursday authorites went to Filler's home in connection with the theft of a computer. At that time, Filler told them he had seen an ad in a grocery store for a five-hundred dollar laptop so he bought it. The laptop belonged to NASA and contained government software, although authorities say it was not sensitive information. NASA had reported it stolen about a week ago. "This particular computer, a Dell laptop, had a tracking device that was installed in the computer," explained Captain Robert Van Pelt with the Harris County Sheriff's Department. "So when the computer was hooked up to a phone line, it would automatically call a tracking number, a tracking center." Meanwhile, investigators Monday continued questioning the co-pilot of the plane Monday afternoon. They are searching a ten mile area for Filler's body. ah, the plot thickens! "did he fall, jump, or neither?" WHAT? i still ain't "biting the hook" that the pic didn't know when/what was going on, ain't buying it. then again, could a guilty conscience really drive a man "over the edge" like this? if the theft is what drove him to suicide, whether assissted or not, (and i believe he had to have been) he's still a candidate in my opinion. hope he did a really kewel headdown, or tracking sky dive! --Richard-- "We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
