https://www.kentonline.co.uk/ashford/news/pilot-died-after-crashing-stolen-plane-on-purpose-262629/
75 hour student pilot crashed a C172 into Romney Marsh after a terminal cancer diagnosis. Interestingly he gave his instructor access to his bank account to pay for any damage.
I was massively delayed for a transatlantic flight for something similar at KTPA in 2002.
Did the bank allow a large withdrawal from a deceased person’s account on the basis of a recording of a radio transmission?
There are so many better ways to suicide without endangering others or inflicting trauma on first responders.
Maoraigh wrote:
Did the bank allow a large withdrawal from a deceased person’s account on the basis of a recording of a radio transmission?
Unless the student was indebted, I assume that the owner of the plane will get the damages paid out of the estate.
Very sad.
I would assume the owner will get the money from his insurance, and then the insurers will try to subrogate the estate.
Inkognito wrote:
There are so many better ways to suicide without endangering others or inflicting trauma on first responders.
Whatever way inflicts trauma on those left behind. It is imho the ultimate act of selfishness.
Clearly his situation was anything but horriffic. But while this act may have put the guy out of his misery, it has inflicted misery and huge problems on others.
Not to speak of those who will now again demand psychological screening for pilots and so on.
Mooney_Driver wrote:
Whatever way inflicts trauma on those left behind.
I believe that the medically supported one has the least influence…
Emir wrote:
I believe that the medically supported one has the least influence…
You mean because he killed himself after a cancer diagnosis? That may be the case but it does not justify destroying property and involving rescue personell in such a way. It’s pretty much similar to people using public transport to kill themselfs… train drivers and rescue personell often end up heavily traumatized.
As for diagnosis like this, maybe our resident docs may comment. I do recall conversations however where it was clearly said that predictions like this towards anyone who is “fit” enough to fly 3 months before his alleged death are massively contested as they are often very inaccurate and put tremendous negative expectational pressure onto the victim. Hence suicides after such doomsday diagnosis are not unknown, but could be avoided with proper practice and care.
Mooney_Driver wrote:
You mean because he killed himself after a cancer diagnosis?
No. I meant he could’ve done it in the hospital – assisted. Rather than destroying property and endangering others.
From what I’ve read, the Swiss option is pretty unpleasant, because you basically die of suffocation.
What this guy did is selfish though because prob99 the aircraft was under-insured (in the current mad climate) so the school owning it will take a big hit.
I always wonder how many of fatal accidents in aviation are actually undetected suicides. Apparently around 5% of deadly car accidents are confirmed or suspected suicides. Probably the number is larger than zero because for a pilot using a plane for the act of killing oneself is a pretty effective way to make sure to not accidentally survive. Also, no one will ever question the cause as non-accidental as long as it looks like the usual CFIT or VFR In IMC accident and unless the pilot leaves a suicide note behind. This might be important for religious/insurance/societal reasons. So, in the end some of the unexplained accidents which fill pages of discussion on the aviation forums might not be so accidental after all.
