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Skydiver and pilot survive airborne collision (photos)
Two men were hurt when a plane collided with the parachute of a skydiver Saturday morning in Mulberry. The Polk County Sheriff's Office says the pilot, 87-year-old Shannon Trembley, a WWII vet, was doing touch-and-goes in his private Cessna at the South Lakeland Airport. During his third pass, the passenger side wing of his plane became entangled in and then cut the strings of a skydiver's parachute 75 feet above the ground. (www.myfoxtampabay.com) Altro...Sort type: [Top] [Newest]
I have a problem with the Title "Plane hits Skydiver". It seems to me the pilot and airplane were doing what they were supposed to be doing at an "Airport". Taking off of the runway. The Skydiver hit them while he was going the wrong way down the runway. Not to mention using a runway for dropping down vertically. Now, a veteran and airplane owner have a wrecked airplane not to mention his injuries. People that jump out of "good" airplanes and cause injury and damage to "perfectly good airplanes" should have their head examined.
the skydiver was very very fortunate that he didn't catch the prop of the acft. The outcome would have been very different. You can bet that both the pilot & especially the skydiver will have this on their mind every time they both take to the air again.
you only have one runway sometimes. the diver can change direction much quicker
the sky diver was wrong. he should never have crossed the runway. there are areas where the diver should land. the pilot can not see above .JAKE
An 87 year old pilot!!!
Don't get me wrong, but he should have a safety pilot next to him.
At 87 you are not the same.
A friendly pilot.
Don't get me wrong, but he should have a safety pilot next to him.
At 87 you are not the same.
A friendly pilot.
Seems like the pilot was doing just fine, as this was his third touch & go, until the skydiver got in his way. Similar to running in front of a car. I'm sure the pilot's vertical visibility was blocked somewhat. Maybe he should have been flying a low wing acft. The pilot didn't reach 87 by taking chances. There are old pilots & there are bold pilots but there are no old bold pilots. Do you believe a safety pilot would have been thinking & watching for skydivers or making sure the "87" year old pilot was doing everything correctly. What if it happened with a safety pilot on board? If the skydiver wasn't where he should not have been then no one would even know there was an 87 year old pilot @ the controls of the acft. I guess the same analogy could be said of 87 year old drivers...maybe they should have a car with two steering wheels & two sets of breaks...the second set could be for the safety driver. Maybe every airport should have some type of control if non towered. Maybe an FBO. I don't think the skydiver had a transceiver to announce his position & intentions.
A Designated Examiner just retired from his FAA appointment at age 86. Incredibly competent pilot! If he can pass the medical, then Blue Skies!!!