A co-pilot jumped and fell from a plane on Friday at Raleigh-Durham International Airport, in an emergency landing after having problems with the landing gear.
The body of the co-pilot identified as Charles Hew Crooks, aged 23 was found in the backyard of a residence in Funquay-Varina around 7: 00 pm during search efforts, authorities reported.
The plane that was involved in the fatal accident has a capacity for 10 people. Only two people were on board the plane when it took off, but at the time of the forced landing the pilot was the one on the plane.
Croks was found in a neighborhood of Fuquay-Varina, which is near Sunset Lake Road and Hilltop Needmore Road. The co-pilot was not wearing a parachute.
Wake County Emergency Management Operations Chief Darshan Patel indicated that they received the report of the discovery of the body after a resident reported that he “heard something in his backyard.”
Meanwhile, the pilot who landed the plane was taken to a local hospital with minor injuries. He was discharged Friday night.
Images provided by WRAL Sky 5 show the plane skidding off the runway, turning in a partial circle before coming to rest, spotlighting fire trucks and paramedics responding to the accident.
“Emergency, we have lost the wheel”, the pilot is heard saying in the recording. “We would like to talk to Raleigh and make an emergency landing in Raleigh”.
A witness who witnessed the forced landing of the plane described everything he saw after the plane managed to touch down.
“I saw a whole crowd of people looking out the window at the jet bridge, and then I saw that propeller plane on the grass beyond the runway and a couple of emergency vehicles,” said the witness Simon Palmore.
The airfield at Raleigh-Durham International Airport was temporarily closed until the scene was secured.
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