Copilot’s Departure of Aircraft in Mid-Flight Baffles Authorities

Co-pilot departs aircraft without a parachute before emergency landing.

Monday, August 01, 2022 at 04:18 PM ET

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A CASA C-212 Aviocar, similar to this one, made an emergency, one-wheel landing Friday at KRDU. [Courtesy: US Air Classics]

Key Takeaways:

A copilot, Charles Crooks, departed an aircraft mid-flight without a parachute and was later found deceased approximately 20 miles from Raleigh-Durham International Airport.
The plane, a CASA C-212 Aviocar, had previously lost a wheel during an attempted landing, prompting an emergency declaration and a successful one-wheel/belly landing by the remaining pilot, who sustained minor injuries.
Authorities are investigating the circumstances of Crooks' departure, with the pilot reportedly telling officials that the copilot jumped from the plane, aiming for a lake.

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Federal authorities and those in Wake County, North Carolina, are trying to determine the circumstances surrounding the departure of a non-parachute-wearing copilot from an aircraft in mid-flight heading toward Raleigh-Durham International Airport (KRDU).

The airplane, a Spanish made CASA C-212 Aviocar, is an unpressurized, high-wing, turboprop with fixed landing gear. Registered to Spore LTD, in Colorado, the C-212 is designed for cargo hauling and is popular with skydiving operations.