After audio showed that the plane lost its wheel shortly after takeoff, new details emerged about the death of a man who fell without a parachute.
Charles Crooks’ family has been left looking for answers after the 23-year-old’s mysterious death.
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“I don’t know,” Hew Crooks, Charles’ father, toldWRAL. “We can’t process it right now, I don’t know.”
Charles, a famous author “flying fanatic”He was co-pilot on a small airplane that had an emergency landing at Raleigh-Durham International Airport.
Charles, however, was not present when the aircraft landed.
Later, his body was found after officers were flagged by a neighbor who described hearing the incident. “something”In their Fuquay-Varina back yard.
The flight-tracking software revealed that both pilots called air Traffic Control to inform them that their main right wheel had fallen.
One of the copilots stated that they attempted to land at Raeford Airport but failed. “made a hard landing, deciding to go around and at that point, we lost the wheel.”
One of the pilots called Fayetteville ATC Control during the flight for assistance in rerouting the aircraft to RDU.
One of them said “We’ve lost our right wheel- we’d like to proceed to Raleigh and make a landing.”
Before anyone asks, the co-pilots could have been heard telling each other that there was enough fuel for them to fly another four hours in the air before they had to land. “Quick question, how do you intend to land at Raleigh-Durham?”
One of the men replied, “Get as low as we can and I guess we’re going to put it on the belly.”
The pilot then reported to authorities via radio that his co-pilot had jumped out of the plane without a parachutist.
The plane landed on a runway, but the missing wheel caused it spin out and to skid off the runway.
Officials said that the pilot of the aircraft was fine after he was taken to the hospital.
The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board will conduct the investigation.
Hew said that Charles was pursuing his pilot’s license while in college.
“I think he got that when he was a sophomore, he said a couple weeks ago, he wouldn’t trade places with anybody in the world. He loved where he was.”
Charles was also certified to fly in any conditions by his father, who had worked as a flight instructor for more than one year.
“We’re a strong family and we’re a very loving family. But this, it leaves a hole,”His father agreed. “I don’t know. We can’t process it right now.”
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