Lost a friend to an accident yesterday

[C5Engineer 1170]

I heard about a Plane crash at a neighboring field this morning on my way to work on the radio. When I got to work I googled it and the first thing I see is a pic of my buddys Rans sticking out of the ground. Him and his girlfriend were both killed. Been waiting all day for them to release the names and they just did on the evening news confirming it was him. Witnesses say the plane stalled at 500ft and went straight in. He was in the pattern. No other details as of yet. Remember that what we do is dangerous. Please keep the families in your thoughts and prayers. This is the first time I've lost someone to flying that I had flown with and knew as a friend. This sucks! Stay safe out there!

http://www.ktvn.com/Global/story.asp?S=12651519

http://www.kcra.com/news/23909633/detail.html

[akflyer 1427]

I heard about a Plane crash at a neighboring field this morning on my way to work on the radio. When I got to work I googled it and the first thing I see is a pic of my buddys Rans sticking out of the ground. Him and his girlfriend were both killed. Been waiting all day for them to release the names and they just did on the evening news confirming it was him. Witnesses say the plane stalled at 500ft and went straight in. He was in the pattern. No other details as of yet. Remember that what we do is dangerous. Please keep the families in your thoughts and prayers. This is the first time I've lost someone to flying that I had flown with and knew as a friend. This sucks! Stay safe out there!

http://www.ktvn.com/....asp?S=12651519

http://www.kcra.com/...633/detail.html

Blue skys and fair winds

[SuberAvid 617]

I heard about a Plane crash at a neighboring field this morning on my way to work on the radio. When I got to work I googled it and the first thing I see is a pic of my buddys Rans sticking out of the ground. Him and his girlfriend were both killed. Been waiting all day for them to release the names and they just did on the evening news confirming it was him. Witnesses say the plane stalled at 500ft and went straight in. He was in the pattern. No other details as of yet. Remember that what we do is dangerous. Please keep the families in your thoughts and prayers. This is the first time I've lost someone to flying that I had flown with and knew as a friend. This sucks! Stay safe out there!

http://www.ktvn.com/....asp?S=12651519

http://www.kcra.com/...633/detail.html

Very sorry to hear that; they are in our thoughts as part of our family.

[horsepower 24]

Sorry to hear that Joey, I have been watching the pictures that you post with your Rans flying buddy,take a little time off and do something with your family.There is always comfort in that.Sorry for the loss. Randy

[Jezz 1]

I heard about a Plane crash at a neighboring field this morning on my way to work on the radio. When I got to work I googled it and the first thing I see is a pic of my buddys Rans sticking out of the ground. Him and his girlfriend were both killed. Been waiting all day for them to release the names and they just did on the evening news confirming it was him. Witnesses say the plane stalled at 500ft and went straight in. He was in the pattern. No other details as of yet. Remember that what we do is dangerous. Please keep the families in your thoughts and prayers. This is the first time I've lost someone to flying that I had flown with and knew as a friend. This sucks! Stay safe out there!

http://www.ktvn.com/Global/story.asp?S=12651519

http://www.kcra.com/news/23909633/detail.html

Hi Joey

Sorry to hear the bad news. I never know what to say at a time like this except to be assured that, as one global community, our thoughts are always with our fellow pilots who fail to come home, and with those friends and family they leave behind.

From experience though, may I suggest you take your own bird for a little trip ASAP. My first really knocked the confidence out of me, but my friends forcing me to fly the very next day was the best thing they did.

Once again, sorry for the loss.

[Jezz 1]

I heard about a Plane crash at a neighboring field this morning on my way to work on the radio. When I got to work I googled it and the first thing I see is a pic of my buddys Rans sticking out of the ground. Him and his girlfriend were both killed. Been waiting all day for them to release the names and they just did on the evening news confirming it was him. Witnesses say the plane stalled at 500ft and went straight in. He was in the pattern. No other details as of yet. Remember that what we do is dangerous. Please keep the families in your thoughts and prayers. This is the first time I've lost someone to flying that I had flown with and knew as a friend. This sucks! Stay safe out there!

http://www.ktvn.com/Global/story.asp?S=12651519

http://www.kcra.com/news/23909633/detail.html

Hi Joey

Sorry to hear the bad news. I never know what to say at a time like this except to be assured that, as one global community, our thoughts are always with our fellow pilots who fail to come home, and with those friends and family they leave behind.

From experience though, may I suggest you take your own bird for a little trip ASAP. My first really knocked the confidence out of me, but my friends forcing me to fly the very next day was the best thing they did.

Once again, sorry for the loss.

[dholly 718]

So sorry Joey.

Why bad things happen to good people will forever be one of Life's mysteries. Once the shock of sudden loss wears off, losing friends and family still sucks. But we fly on. Not quite 3 years ago, only a few days after Mike and I flew home from OSH in his seaplane, he and Dave crashed on takeoff. Dave was the guy who pushed me to start flying again after 20+ years and welcomed me into the local H2O pilots group his energy created. Among their enviable attributes they were passionate, accomplished pilots who had logged thousands of hours and truly loved flying. That skill allowed them to walk away from an engine out in an old T'craft that put them in the trees a year earlier, but not this time. Just a terrible loss for the families, community and our group, and our grief was heavy and lingering. But an amazing email to the group by one of the spouses who saw through her grief changed a lot of attitudes and helped the healing process begin. I'm certain she wouldn't mind my sharing if it provides some small measure of comfort.

Dear friends,

I just want to take this opportunity to wish all of my flying friends a very happy and healthy new year. I also want to thank you all for the tremendous support you have given me in these past few difficult months. I know that all of you lost two dear friends, too, yet you have made it a point to take the time to check in on me. Please know that I am equally worried about you. You lost friends who were sharing your passion, and I don’t want any of you to lose that joie de flying. Just remember that Mike and Dave would want you to fly on, just as they did after last year’s accident. And remember, too, if they could have written a script for themselves to leave this world, it would have been as they did. Probably not so soon, but I can confidently say of Mike that he died with no regrets and as a happy man. We should all be so fortunate. A car accident would have been a true tragedy. It is difficult for me to relate to your feelings on this. I can’t quite imagine what it would take to lose a friend training dogs, my passion. I have no doubts walking onto a training field. I hope that you will not hesitate, either.

I would also like to thank you for the tremendous joy you brought to Mike during his life. Yes, he had a great passion for flying, but he also had a great passion for all of you. You gave him a chance to truly unwind and forget for a moment the “other person†he needed to be at work. Yes, he loved his career, but he needed a release and you gave him the opportunity. I am forever grateful to you for helping to make him a happy man. Just remember the gin: he truly would have done anything for all of you!

So, I wish you all continued flying in clear skies, good health and the pursuit of adventure and joy which Mike and Dave exemplified. Be well and happy!

Yours,

Laura

Do not lose that joie de flying.

We should all be so fortunate.

Be well and happy!

Indeed.

We fly on.

[C5Engineer 1170]

Thanks everyone! Jezz thanks for the suggestion. I took you up on it and went flying for a bout 30 mins. This has hit me pretty hard. After the most thorough preflight and the most conservative approach and landing I've done in a long time I felt alot better.

[Av8r3400 1179]

Joey-- I know where you are right now.

Don't stop, keep flying. (was my mistake...) Do this for your friend, he would want it this way.

Remember your family and be safe, but don't stop the joy of what you have started. In his memory.

My sympathy, prayers and thoughts to you and theirs...

[dholly 718]

One thing I have noticed after fatal plane crashes is that a lot -and I mean A LOT- of folks, both pilots and non-pilots alike, say it's best for pilot friends to "get right back on the horse again". It certainly may be the best advice but I don't really understand why. After losing my friends, I never once thought about giving up flying. In fact it only made the resolve to finish my build or buy a plane even stronger, as one never knows when his/her time will come. Hell, I'm not getting any younger and owning my own plane and having the ability to go flying whenever I want has been at the top of my 'bucket list' for a very long time. Of course events like this effect everyone differently, but I wonder how many who lost a loved one in an auto accident ever considered simply giving up driving? You can argue that driving is a practical necessity while flying is simply a leisure activity but, really, is it optional or so easy for most pilots to walk from flying? I do wonder. The time, training, expense and sacrifices of becoming a pilot and aircraft owner is an investment made by a few select and very dedicated individuals, and I suspect 99.9% of them who have not already voluntarily hung up the headset continue to fly out of a love and passion so strong it is nearly impossible to extinguish. We do fly on after unexpected tragedies such as this, and becoming better, more appreciative pilots for it is the best way to remember our friends. Give support to the families who may or may not have fully understood their passion. And don't forget to invite your friend to fly along with you in spirit now and again on a particularly beautiful day, he would appreciate that.

[Jezz 1]

Thanks everyone! Jezz thanks for the suggestion. I took you up on it and went flying for a bout 30 mins. This has hit me pretty hard. After the most thorough preflight and the most conservative approach and landing I've done in a long time I felt alot better.

Hi Joey

I'm pleased you took me up on the suggestion - I remember being just as cautious after my first.

It is perfectly normal that your confidence takes a hit when you have lost someone who you knew well, and who you considered to be a good pilot. I remember after my first I spent the biggest part of the flight thinking about everything that could go wrong with the aircraft, with my piloting etc. Just a few flights later and everything was back to normal for me. I hope you get back to 100% confidence soon!

dholly, I think what we are talking about is the hit that your confidence can take. I have, over the years lost many friends to accidents, 1 midair, 1 in-flight breakup, 1 during a display, several through very poor decision making resulting in pilot error accidents. After each of them I spend some time looking over what I could improve to ensure I do not end up in the same boat, but what I do now is not a patch on the mulling and musing that I did after the first. Had I not gotten straight back into the thick of it after the first, I think I know I would have started to analyze which would have caused me to worry which would have made me analyze more and so on. It may have been that I would never have gotten my confidence back to where it was before had I not taken the bull by the horns.

Jezz

[akflyer 1427]

Hi Joey

I'm pleased you took me up on the suggestion - I remember being just as cautious after my first.

It is perfectly normal that your confidence takes a hit when you have lost someone who you knew well, and who you considered to be a good pilot. I remember after my first I spent the biggest part of the flight thinking about everything that could go wrong with the aircraft, with my piloting etc. Just a few flights later and everything was back to normal for me. I hope you get back to 100% confidence soon!

dholly, I think what we are talking about is the hit that your confidence can take. I have, over the years lost many friends to accidents, 1 midair, 1 in-flight breakup, 1 during a display, several through very poor decision making resulting in pilot error accidents. After each of them I spend some time looking over what I could improve to ensure I do not end up in the same boat, but what I do now is not a patch on the mulling and musing that I did after the first. Had I not gotten straight back into the thick of it after the first, I think I know I would have started to analyze which would have caused me to worry which would have made me analyze more and so on. It may have been that I would never have gotten my confidence back to where it was before had I not taken the bull by the horns.

Jezz

I too have lost alot of friends to accidents. It is a way of life up here. After my accident, I didnt fly for awhile, then when I did get back in the air, I was mr. cautious for the first 10 hrs or so, but then the old feelings soon came back and I was back down on the deck swamp running and not even thinking about what could go wrong (to a certain extent). I am allways looking for suitable landing areas, and not taking huge risks, but if the terrain allows, you can be the wheels (or floats) are not more than a couple feet off the ground.

[dholly 718]

I hesitate to pile on this thread but have another pilot in desperate need. My friend is critical with multiple lacerations and internal injuries, shattered pelvis, broken bones, but most serious he was impaled by a bamboo longeron (the structure of the aircraft was made of bamboo) that left a puncture wound as large as a fist. After 24 hours, 2 surgeries and 60 units of blood the bleeding is still not controlled. Please offer a prayer for Jim and strength for his family. Thank you. News Pics

[dholly 718]

Thank you for any prayers and positive thoughts offered, I believe they are working. As of this a.m., Jim is now critical but stable. After another surgery Sun., doctors finally located and stopped the internal bleeding. His facial injuries are limited to lacerations, not facial fractures as originally assessed, and one leg is not broken. He must endure two more immediate orthopedic surgeries and will remain in an induced coma until sometime next week to help his body heal. He is not yet out of the woods but for the first time I sense optimism in the email updates from the hospital. Barring any complications, it sounded like he will be in the ICU for at least 3 more weeks then moved to a recovery room for another 3 weeks before starting rehabilitation therapy. It will be a long and difficult recovery but he is strong and fortunate to be a survivor at this point. I have absolutely no doubt he will be flying as soon as physically able. Again, thank you and please keep him in your thoughts.

[Jezz 1]

Thank you for any prayers and positive thoughts offered, I believe they are working. As of this a.m., Jim is now critical but stable. After another surgery Sun., doctors finally located and stopped the internal bleeding. His facial injuries are limited to lacerations, not facial fractures as originally assessed, and one leg is not broken. He must endure two more immediate orthopedic surgeries and will remain in an induced coma until sometime next week to help his body heal. He is not yet out of the woods but for the first time I sense optimism in the email updates from the hospital. Barring any complications, it sounded like he will be in the ICU for at least 3 more weeks then moved to a recovery room for another 3 weeks before starting rehabilitation therapy. It will be a long and difficult recovery but he is strong and fortunate to be a survivor at this point. I have absolutely no doubt he will be flying as soon as physically able. Again, thank you and please keep him in your thoughts.

I'm pleased to hear that Jim is on the mend, albeit slowly. What we do carries an inherent risk, and sometimes that risk exceeds our ability to manage it (for whatever reason). That is when we have no choice but to accept that the outcome is going to be down to luck and fate. For Jim it seems that fate has taken a positive turn, not so for Joey's friend.

As one single community, I think I can speak for us all when I say that our thoughts and prayers are always with those who's ability to manage the risks of flying has been outstripped and now in the hands of fate.

Jezz

[C5Engineer 1170]

That looks very similiar to what Dean Wilson is building right now. We lost 5 people in 3 separate accidents within 100 miles of between last Sunday and yesterday. Seems like they always come in threes.