Busting into Prison

[FreeFlyFreaky 0]

Busting into Prison
Pahokee, Florida - Saturday, October 27, 2001 was a particularly windy day. Reports on the weather band called for small craft advisories on the coast with winds from 20 to 25 knots. I was heading to the DZ anyway hoping that the inland location would be calmer. Well, it was. But not by much.
A wind meter at the landing area showed a steady 18 mph. The only people here today were the core regulars, these guys will come on rainy days and wait for dry holes in the sky. Students and tandems would not have been allowed to jump but there were none today even hanging out. A full load today was only going to be 12 freeflyers.
We had done a few flock dives that day and then a very fast track dive. The winds, though strong were not that difficult to land. Forward motion was scant so gauging your landings presented some challenges. The spots were about a mile north of the dropzone and opening up so far away from the landing area felt strange. You angled your canopy a little into the wind and crabbed it back to the landing area. Normally from this distance I would be facing the dropzone, now it remained behind me or to my side. Most of the time I steered by looking over my shoulder. It was similar to tacking in a fast sailboat. Turns down wind were furiously fast and fun.
One of the nice things about Skydive America Palm Beach is that there is so little development around the airport. There are endless miles of sugar cane fields to the north, east and south or to the west is the expanse of Lake Okeechobee. There are a few small neighborhoods to the north and some power lines near the main road but basically the off DZ landing areas are everywhere.
Our typical climb path takes us over Belleglade to the south. Belleglade is a poor farming community surrounded by hundreds of green square miles. On the ride up the cane is everywhere but curiously the most prevalent industry seen from the air are not cane refineries but all the prisons in surrounding area. I forget how many there are but I recall at least five.
Sitting at the door on the rides up I would think of the poor bastards behind those walls looking up to see the Red White and Blue flag painted Otter flying by hour after hour. What an exquisite agony if one of those guys was a skydiver and knew who we were and what we were doing. I’ve also sat there and thought “hmm, it wouldn’t be that hard to jump into one.” Fleeting mind ramblings of a skydiver going to altitude.
Then came load five. Tired of big ways Chad and I decide to do a two-way and work on transitions. As with each takeoff I did the routine of buckling the seat belt, securing my helmet, making sure all the straps were snug. Funny thing was earlier that day I was taking notice that to the last man everyone of us had their helmets on during takeoff. I was feeling good that this was the group of guys I was jumping with. Each one observing the most basic of safety requirements. It actually passed through my mind that if this plane was going to have problems during takeoff that this group could handle it. I, of course, didn’t think it would be today.
We were a few minutes into the climb when the engine sputtered. We each intimately know every nuisance of every sound this plane makes. All heads perked up and everyone scanned the eyes of the others looking for queues. This was not a sound we were used to. Sputter number two came 10 agonizing seconds later. That did it. The clicks of helmets being simultaneously shut filled the cabin. Chest and leg straps were being tightened and stowed. Both engines were still running. In less than five seconds everyone was on their knees and ready.
Shouts of “Hop’n’pop guys we're at three grand.” To the pilot, “So, what it is Peter, are we baling?” The pilot queues the intercom, “Any jumper that wants to jump can jump!” Huh? What kind of answer is that, I’m wondering. Do you want us out now or what? A mild confusion sets in. The engine sputters again. There is no panic. We all know we’ve got plenty of altitude. We are prepared and ready but the pilot hasn’t given us that “get the @#$% out” command yet. I had enough time to take off my helmet and put on my goggles. Nathan walks up to ask the pilot for an answer. Just as he’s walking back the starboard engine coughs and dies. That does it, exit, exit, exit.
I dive out a little at angle. I haven’t done a belly floater exit since I don’t know when so I ride it down to stabilize before deploying. My Pro Track has me exiting and 3400’ and in the saddle by 2600’.
Now, where to land? I see Steve M., Luigi and Steve-O all nearby. The choices were few. Certainly eight foot tall cane is to be avoided. I won’t make it to the road. So the best choice appeared to be a plowed field next to the prison. As I watch Steve-O below me I realize that if I land with him in the plowed field, the ditch and the fence were going to make for a long walk out of there, plus I didn’t want to give my canopy a dirt bath if I could avoid it. What about the prison?
It’s amazing how much information your brain can process in such a short period. Ok, if I land in the prison what will really happen? Well, I’m thinking that every shiny badge in Belleglade is going to be in on this one. After all, since the terrorists were thwarted from renting crop dusters right here in Belleglade, they’ve got to be on high alert for other lightweight airborne intruders. What’s to stop suicide jumpers (with parachutes?) from putting on multi-colored tie-dyed jumps suits and using stealthy American flag patterned parachutes to disguise their special evil. The media will be on the spot covering the latest lead on America’s fight against terrorism. Surely, we’ll be sniffed for Anthrax and be found positively negative by every cable news show. I’ll get my fifteen minutes and when its all over maybe, just maybe I’ll be invited on the next "Survivor"...nah, nah.
The scenario that actually ran through my mind was fusing when I saw the sheriff’s cars was not far from where I was about to land. Now I figure it’s probably going to be a legal hassle for breaking into the prison, trespassing on federal property or whatever. Or maybe not. It sure was the nicest place to land.
I gave up speculating and looked for the safest spot. Whatever was about to happen would happen. At least Luigi and Steve M. will be there with me. I find out later that the scenario running through Luigi’s head was a van ride to do some explaining at INS. Luigi is Italian and waiting for citizenship documents to be processed. He was truly freaking.
The three of us gathered up our chutes and begin walking towards the buildings. I keep waiting for the guards to finally show up but there doesn’t seem to be any. Odd. Then three young boys come running out. These were the most excited little guys. Turns out we had landed in the vocational-technical school near one of the prisons. The local sheriffs department gets their cars serviced here. From above we all thought it was a prison. Steve-O chose the plowed field thinking we were idiots.
My doomsday scenarios subsided. The boy’s dads were nearby and let us use a mobile phone. Manifest said the vans were on the way. The kids walked us to the front gates pelting us with excited questions. How do you pull the chutes? Do you really have two parachutes? Were you scared? Is it fun? Can you imagine how cool it’s going to be for them at school on Monday. Yeah, it’s fun!
Everyone including the pilot (and one very spooked skydiver without a rig in the co-pilot’s seat) had landed safely. It was text book emergency protocols and everyone participated flawlessly. Ironically, the plane was to be fitted with new (-34) engines the following Monday. In a couple of weeks we will have the fastest Twin Otter on the planet. Lady Luck graciously provided a cool pilot, experienced jumpers, decent altitude and open flat ground. To us, this was more a procedure than an emergency, thankfully. This would be one for the grandkids. I do, however, believe that a plane at 1000 feet, losing altitude, fire, students, tandems, jumpers popping reserves; all pose an entirely different situation. Yes, without a doubt, new engines!
Whit Baker
Hollywood, Florida

[Michele 1]

Better than any of my stories!
Well done, Whit, and glad you didn't, um, make the news. I would love to have seen how it was covered, tho. hahahahahahaha.
Well done, well written, and thanks!
Ciels-
Michele
"What of the dreams that never die? Turn to your left at the end of the sky".
~e e cummings~

[Jabeln79 0]

Thats a great story.. im sure sharing stories about it through the rest of the day was just as exciting.. for some reason i think an emergency exit would be fun.. as long as the plane didnt really go down and no one was hurt.. intenetional emergency exit jump runs would be a great training idea.. IF noone knew but the pilot and the DZO fly over the DZ at 4000 and have the pilot tell everyone to get out theres an problem with teh plane.that would be great to see how people would handle the situation..

[Tee 0]

Captivating story!!!
Tee

[freeflir29 0]

"So....Uhhhhh....Whats your name? Bend over! How ya doin Ben?" -Fletch 2
"There once was a man named Enis....."-Krusty the Clown
Clay

[diver123 0]

Wow! Congrats on setting the example for how to work together, follow the pilots instructions, and get everyone home safe!!! I think, for the first time in skydiving history, we all owe you beer for Your "first" almost prison landing... Ah crap, if that's true, we also owe you beer for that being the first time in skydiving history that we'd owe someone else beer... Can we just pretend I never said anything???
"pull high! It's lower than you think..."

[Merrick 0]

If the story's not complete bullshit, a friend of ours actually did landed in the prison by our DZ. He landed, was rushed by guards, & detained for over an hour trying to convince them he wasn't trying to smuggle anything in. LOL Ladies & Gentlemen... give it up for dz.com's very own.....MikeFarmer!! lol
"Pammi's Hemp/Skydiving Jewelry"

[freeflir29 0]

Did Mike get the complimentary body cavity search? How about a free add on the prison dating network?
"There once was a man named Enis....."-Krusty the Clown
Clay

[Kris 0]

Quote

If the story's not complete bullshit, a friend of ours actually did landed in the prison by our DZ. He landed, was rushed by guards, & detained for over an hour trying to convince them he wasn't trying to smuggle anything in. LOL Ladies & Gentlemen... give it up for dz.com's very own.....MikeFarmer!! lol

Heh, that story grows every time I hear it. Now Clint Carpenter (A red-headed Pack Monkey) that we used to have at the DZ did land just outside the main gate last year, under a round. They were trying a three-way Mr. Bill with two people trying to hang onto him. They left the aircraft and neither of the two Bills could hold on during the opening shock. The opening shock was so bad that the belly-mount reserve popped Clint in the lip & split it open. Then he found out that the uppers were moving a bit faster than previously thought.
When he landed he had two guns pointed at him and the instructions were to immediately turn around & start walking away.
We laughed our asses off for hours over that one...
Kriszilla
"Anime is not just animation. It's a frickin' religion"