Where were they buried?

No notice if they have identified the skydivers yet. Also no information on where they will be buried.

I think this is the introductory plot for the next Final Destination movie.

13 aboard, 12 parachutes? Did they draw straws?

the_chief: Where were they buried?

*shakes tiny fist*

He must have got the boy scout's back pack.

/sad

No reason to jump out of a perfectly good airpla - oh wait.

I imagine the change it weight distribution as a ton of meat jumped out of the plane threw the pilot for a loop.

pcat: I think this is the introductory plot for the next Final Destination movie.

Pilot was hit by a truck and lived - you might be on to something.

/Or maybe he had awful luck?
//Call sign "Deadmeat"?

A little more info from this story:

Pilot Ensures Skydivers Jump Before Crash
By Russ Niles, Editor-in-Chief

A young Illinois skydive plane pilot who died Saturday in a crash in Taylorville, Illinois is being hailed as a hero after he ensured his load of 12 jumpers got out safely before he tried unsuccessfully to save himself. Brandon Sparrow, 30, of Augusta, IL has been identified as the pilot. Circumstances of the crash are still sketchy but there have been unconfirmed reports that there was no post-crash fire or explosion after the Beech 18 crashed in the back yard of a home.

Authorities said debris from the crash was spread over two to three blocks of a residential neighborhood. They don't know whether it was luck or the pilot's final efforts that kept the big twin from hitting any houses. No one on the ground was hurt. Sparrow was married with no children.

Is he Miss Illinois's husband?

Skydive Taylorville is closed for the day.

Their motto: Join us for an experience that will last a lifetime!

Pilot should have stayed in a coma.

At least he dropped his load before he died.

/He had no children.
//Darwin never sleeps.

No "Ironic" tag?

LordOfThePings: 13 aboard, 12 parachutes? Did they draw straws?

You could say parachutes were sort of pre-assigned.

Sounds like a great job by the pilot, though none of the stories I've read shed any more light on what exactly went wrong.

The pilot couldn't have jumped out and caught up with a skydiver, and held on Johnny Utah style?

This actually happened about 5 blocks from where I was working that day. Initially I thought there was just some jag buzzing over the top of one of the main streets in Taylorville. Then suddenly, I didn't hear it anymore, but didn't really think anything of it. 20 minutes later a customer came in and asked if I had heard about the plane crash.

MythDragon: The pilot couldn't have jumped out and caught up with a skydiver, and held on Johnny Utah style?

Seems like he was trying to keep the plane from landing on any houses. I'm sure he would have if he were in a safe area, but it looks like he knew the plane would probably crash somewhere really bad.

Zeebo: This actually happened about 5 blocks from where I was working that day.

So you better be getting a kick out of some of these posts. >:-D

/misclicked the p'shop thread
//contemplating more bob ross goodness

I've always heard the phrase, "Never jump out of a perfectly good airplane". I guess this wasn't a perfectly good airplane, so it's Ok.

PETEY! NOOOOOOOOO!

No mention of D.B. Cooper?

Zeebo: This actually happened about 5 blocks from where I was working that day. Initially I thought there was just some jag buzzing over the top of one of the main streets in Taylorville. Then suddenly, I didn't hear it anymore, but didn't really think anything of it. 20 minutes later a customer came in and asked if I had heard about the plane crash.

I was talking to a guy yesterday, he said he was on the phone with his sister when parts of the plane landed in her yard. He described the sound about the same way except he heard the boom of the crash as well.

off topic: are you going to the State Fair this year?

It warms my heart to hear a few Farkers think that the guy was probably trying to avoid hitting the houses.

Doesn't stop them from being jaded in other threads though.

It seems like there is some collective consciousness here.

But then again, what do I know.
:)

I thought FAA rules require a plane carrying skydivers was suppose to have EVERYONE equipped with a parachute. Tho i also understand that most pilots would rather try to save the plane then jump, and no idea on how high it was when trouble started

Skydiving is probably the most fun I've had, ever. Sounds like this guy was a class act. Sad.

Flying while still dealing with a brain injury?

Can you say aneurism?

H31N0US: I imagine the change it weight distribution as a ton of meat jumped out of the plane threw the pilot for a loop.

That's probably what killed my elder brother Byron Eugene Black and nearly a dozen skydivers in 1980. He was rigging up the guys in the back and one of his sons was at the controls. Something caused the jumpers to bolt for the rear door and the plane went out of control, crashing into Pear Harbor.

So much for the halftime jump into the Aloha Bowl.

kkinnison: I thought FAA rules require a plane carrying skydivers was suppose to have EVERYONE equipped with a parachute. Tho i also understand that most pilots would rather try to save the plane then jump, and no idea on how high it was when trouble started

Nope. Although some jump pilots do wear them, they are not required to do so.

Did the pilot have the chicken or the fish?

Skwrl: kkinnison: I thought FAA rules require a plane carrying skydivers was suppose to have EVERYONE equipped with a parachute. Tho i also understand that most pilots would rather try to save the plane then jump, and no idea on how high it was when trouble started

Nope. Although some jump pilots do wear them, they are not required to do so.

I distinctly remember this rule as well, but it's been a long time since I studied for the written exam.

Well I would hope so.

This is alongside my hopes that a bunch of Olympic swimmers on a boat that sinks would be able to swim to safety. Or a bunch of auto mechanics in a car that gets a flat were able to change the tire.

pcat: I think this is the introductory plot for the next Final Destination movie.

I came here to say the same thing. Pilot escapes death once, final meets his maker. Now the 12 skydivers will each have ridiculous things happen to them.

KilaKitu: They don't know whether it was luck or the pilot's final efforts that kept the big twin from hitting any houses.

But we'll call crashing into a neighborhood hero activity at this point even though he obviously had no control or he wouldn't have crashed.

On the other hand, had he hit a house we would all be lining up to execute his relatives over his heinous and murderous incompetence.

kkinnison: I thought FAA rules require a plane carrying skydivers was suppose to have EVERYONE equipped with a parachute. Tho i also understand that most pilots would rather try to save the plane then jump, and no idea on how high it was when trouble started

That's the case in Canada, at least.. Even with a parachute it could be pretty hard for the pilot to get out, depending on what was wrong with the plane.

edmo: even though he obviously had no control or he wouldn't have crashed.

It's not really an either/or proposition. "Some" control is often insufficient to prevent a crash.

SpeedyBB: Something caused the jumpers to bolt for the rear door and the plane went out of control, crashing into Pear Harbor.

Huh. You don't say. And here I thought it was the Germans.

saturn badger: SpeedyBB: Something caused the jumpers to bolt for the rear door and the plane went out of control, crashing into Pear Harbor.

Huh. You don't say. And here I thought it was the Germans.

Raises my glass of ginger ale to salute you and your superior wit. Been a while since I actually snarfed out loud. Great Dane is looking at me funny now.

No explosion or crash fire might imply it was out of fuel..

FlippityFlap: Skydiving is probably the most fun I've had, ever. Sounds like this guy was a class act. Sad.

Lets just say he's made quite the impact.

saturn badger: SpeedyBB: Something caused the jumpers to bolt for the rear door and the plane went out of control, crashing into Pear Harbor.

Huh. You don't say. And here I thought it was the Germans.

I was rather expecting a Helen Keller reference.

SpeedyBB: H31N0US: I imagine the change it weight distribution as a ton of meat jumped out of the plane threw the pilot for a loop.

That's probably what killed my elder brother Byron Eugene Black and nearly a dozen skydivers in 1980. He was rigging up the guys in the back and one of his sons was at the controls. Something caused the jumpers to bolt for the rear door and the plane went out of control, crashing into Pear Harbor.

So much for the halftime jump into the Aloha Bowl.

More here: Link

I'm sorry for your loss.

May I ask something completely irrelevant? What was your parent's naming convention that you and your brother have the same first and last names differing with a middle name?

TommyDeuce: pcat: I think this is the introductory plot for the next Final Destination movie.

Pilot was hit by a truck and lived - you might be on to something.

/Or maybe he had awful luck?
//Call sign "Deadmeat"?

You both read my mind.

Sparrow was struck by a truck while bicycling in Carbondale six years ago, family members told KDSK. He was in a coma for a time after the accident, but despite lingering injuries, he was able to climb back into airplane cockpits, they said.



You can't cheat Death. There are no escapes.

eyeq360: No mention of D.B. Cooper?

Nice.

thursdaypostal: MythDragon: The pilot couldn't have jumped out and caught up with a skydiver, and held on Johnny Utah style?

Seems like he was trying to keep the plane from landing on any houses. I'm sure he would have if he were in a safe area, but it looks like he knew the plane would probably crash somewhere really bad.

By definition aren't ALL crash sites bad?

My god, HOW did they survive?!

costermonger: kkinnison: I thought FAA rules require a plane carrying skydivers was suppose to have EVERYONE equipped with a parachute. Tho i also understand that most pilots would rather try to save the plane then jump, and no idea on how high it was when trouble started

That's the case in Canada, at least..

Anyone want to explain why the pilot would need a parachute in that situation but not if there aren't skydivers aboard?

evaned: Anyone want to explain why the pilot would need a parachute in that situation but not if there aren't skydivers aboard?

Never been perfectly clear on the why.. I assumed it had to do with the increased possibility of the controls being fouled by somebody's parachute.