Florida pilot reports passenger fell into ocean, FAA says

[Brad]

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/11/14/florida-pilot-reports-passenger-fell-into-ocean-faa-says/

Florida pilot reports passenger fell into ocean, FAA says

Rescue crews searched an area southeast of Miami after a pilot reported to the Federal Aviation Administration that a passenger fell out of his small plane into the ocean Thursday....

...."He opened the back door and he just fell out the plane."...

Yea that takes quite the conscious effort. Suicidal / mental subject methinks. Then again there is the possibility that the door was not entirely secured and the guy was drunk as a skunk or the pilot made a steep turn and the passenger bumped up against the door and it popped open. But the altitude of the er....drop...was about 1,600-2,000 feet with the field in sight, according to this and other news sources, which to me screams aircraft on final, passengers sit down and buckle up.

[TexasCadet]

Oww...

[PHall]

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/11/14/florida-pilot-reports-passenger-fell-into-ocean-faa-says/

Florida pilot reports passenger fell into ocean, FAA says

Rescue crews searched an area southeast of Miami after a pilot reported to the Federal Aviation Administration that a passenger fell out of his small plane into the ocean Thursday....

...."He opened the back door and he just fell out the plane."...

Yea that takes quite the conscious effort. Suicidal / mental subject methinks. Then again there is the possibility that the door was not entirely secured and the guy was drunk as a skunk or the pilot made a steep turn and the passenger bumped up against the door and it popped open. But the altitude of the er....drop...was about 1,600-2,000 feet with the field in sight, according to this and other news sources, which to me screams aircraft on final, passengers sit down and buckle up.

We just had a gent do the same thing of the coast of Huntington Beach last week. Is it a full moon or something?

[Luis R. Ramos]

Did you look outside?

Yes, you guessed correctly!

There is a full moon!

Flyer

[Panache]

Yea that takes quite the conscious effort. Suicidal / mental subject methinks.

Correct me if I'm wrong, since I've never actually tried to do it, but isn't opening a door on a plane in transit not particularly easy, with the outside moving air pressing up against it?

[SarDragon]

It's pretty easy in GA a/c, especially below 200 kts. They open outward, and are front hinged, like most car doors.

OTOH, airliner doors are specifically designed to not be able to open in flight.

[a2capt]

Well, in the case of the Saratoga, the door opens in such a way that it's akin to sticking your arm out the window. It's a two piece door, with integrated steps on the lower half.

But people have bailed out of Cessna 150's, 172's.. seemingly just as "easy".

[bosshawk]

If my feeble memory serves me correctly, this was a PA-46, a Malibou. which is a pressurized aircraft and has a two part door, top lifts up and bottom drops down and has stairs on it.  I flew a Malibou once and it seemed to me that the door wasn't all that easy to open. The door was on the left side of the aircraft, aft of the wing.  Certainly wouldn't seem very easy to lean against it  and have it fall open.  I suspect that the guy wanted to exit the plane: perhaps the pilot helped him.  We can speculate all we want and won't likely know the true facts anytime soon.

[SarDragon]

Ah, now that the article will load, I see the two-piece door. Now I see why it looks really fishy.

[NIN]

Student: "Why do I need to keep my seatbelt on until 1500 ft? I'm wearing a parachute!"
Instructor (me): "Because below 1500 ft, thats a fancy backpack, not a parachute."

[PHall]

Student: "Why do I need to keep my seatbelt on until 1500 ft? I'm wearing a parachute!"
Instructor (me): "Because below 1500 ft, thats a fancy backpack, not a parachute."

In the Air Force, if you're below 1000 ft AGL with the Troop/Cargo Door open, you wear the harness and strap (leash) which is attached to the aircraft so you won't fall out.
Just not enough time from 1000 ft for the 'chute to open if you're wearing a manually deployed backpack 'chute.

Above 1000 ft, you wear a 'chute when the doors are open.

[Flying Pig]

It would probably take 995 ft for your brain to process that you just fell out!   The first time I jumped I did an accelerated free fall course.  Knowing it was coming I was still combat ineffective for probably several seconds until I noticed the instructor waving his hand in front of my face 

[NIN]

Knowing it was coming I was still combat ineffective for probably several seconds until I noticed the instructor waving his hand in front of my face 

I know that type. We call that the "dialtone."  Cuz that's all that you hear. Duhhhhhhhhhhhh for 8,000 ft.

[Flying Pig]

Knowing it was coming I was still combat ineffective for probably several seconds until I noticed the instructor waving his hand in front of my face 

I know that type. We call that the "dialtone."  Cuz that's all that you hear. Duhhhhhhhhhhhh for 8,000 ft.

Well... for your information, I snapped out of it within about 7800ft.   My next 3 jumps were much better.  Actually.... my second one was pretty tough.  3rd and 4th I couldn't wait to get out the door.   5th one never came because I was a 19yr old E3 who decided to buy a new truck on E3 pay

[Luis R. Ramos]

This topic reminds me that about 15 years ago a pilot was accused of flying with his wife over the ocean then dumped her out of the plane. He may have been a doctor. The body was never found, yet he was found guilty. I seem to recall the flight started from Florida.

Flyer

[Luis R. Ramos]

Passenger identified.

http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/11/15/3755034/search-resumes-for-body-of-fallen.html

Flyer

[PHall]

Passenger identified.

http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/11/15/3755034/search-resumes-for-body-of-fallen.html

Flyer

They think they found him too according to Huffpost Miami.  In the swamp.

[a2capt]

Well, in the case of the Saratoga, the door opens in such a way that it's akin to sticking your arm out the window. It's a two piece door, with integrated steps on the lower half.

I must have had JFK jr. on my mind.. Mirage. D'oh! I knew that when I posted it, to.

[Luis R. Ramos]

Newspaper PHall reported:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/16/man-fell-from-airplane_n_4288303.html

Flyer