SOMETHING DOESN'T FEEL RIGHT

[Gil Boyd]

A parachute display where 3 soldiers jumped from a, Agusta 109 chopper at an air display in Belgium, but the pilot does too without a parachute.
Those Agusta pilots harnesses don't come undone on their own, strange one indeed which will keep the Military Police busy for a while?????

Helicopter pilot falls to his death during parachute demonstration

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[Ovidio]

I don't think a pilot could just fall down.
He most surely committed suicide.
He should have unbuckled and opened his door or moved to the rear door and leaned outside. Everything well beyond any thing allowed by standard procedures and in a stealthy way.
If he had had any reason to go to the rear, he would have told his co-pilot.
There is absolutely nothing explainable in any other way, IMHO.
What do you think?

[Flying10uk]

Gil, do you remember, some years back, when it emerged in the U.K. press that sometimes the pilots of C130's jumped out of the aircraft when parachute training was taking place with the aircraft? The pilot, obviously, had a parachute on and the aircraft was then landed by the copilot.

Here it sounds like a case of either an accident or suicide.

[Gil Boyd]

The front cockpit of the Agusta and its front two seats are accessed by two hinged doors with opening actuators these actuators assist the door on opening and closing as a regulated support under piston pressure to ensure they do not swing loosely in the wind if they are opened in flight.
The Pilot and co-pilot crash resistant seats have four point full shoulder harnesses which use inertia reels.
This then must mean that the Pilot would have to unbuckle and open the door manually and jump, or be in a seat unbuckled, unconscious and fell out.
Bearing those two conclusions in mind, with the side doors open or removed for parachuting purposes in this particular roll, the turbulance from those open doors through the body of the Agusta could have caused a partial unlocked pilots door to open, but he would still have had to be unbuckled if an accident was to blame!!
Probable cause - took his own life for whatever reason. Tragic in the circumstances RIP

[Flying10uk]

If he did take his own life then he could have, potentially, put other people's lives at risk in choosing this method. If people must take their own life they should chose a method which doesn't endanger the lives of others.

[Ovidio]

You shoul tell that Germanwings pilot. I've flown with him a few times. Brrrrrr

[browningautorifle]

If people must take their own life they should chose a method which doesn't endanger the lives of others.

People that commit suicide aren't in their right mind, no reasoning is taking place. Reasonable and conscientious people don't commit suicide.

[Flying10uk]

I've ever known one chap to commit suicide, by taking an overdose, because another man got his wife pregnant. It seemed sad that he couldn't find another way to resolve his problems.

[LowSpeed]

I've had quite a bit to do with suicides over the years and often as not there's a statement being made in the manner, time and place it occurs. If this was a suicide and someone digs deep enough there's likely a reason why he chose this way to check out. It may or may not make any sense to anyone else but it does (did) to him. In his mental state he was saying something to someone, whether or not anyone "gets it" at first glance is another story altogether. My first impression assuming this is a suicide, I'd say he was wanting to shock and horrify or very likely shame someone, perhaps a group of people; squadron members, commander or the military in general. It could've been more personal, perhaps someone in particular watching the demonstration.

I must partially disagree with Jim. Reasonable people don't turn off their own switch but there's often reasoning taking place. It's not a normal type of decision making process but often if you put yourself in their shoes you can see how they came to their decision and even a type of logic behind it. It won't appear to a mentally healthy person but if you really get into their life and remember how they're thinking they do reason, it's just not a "normal" type of thinking.

I don't recommend spending too much time in a suicide victims shoes if you can avoid it though.

I could also be totally wrong. It'll be interesting to find out the results of the investigation.

[browningautorifle]

Reasonable people

a mentally healthy person

Both catch phrases here...of which they're neither. I've known many that offed themselves through the decades...unfortunately.