Pilot’s death an accident after fall from plane headed for RDU, autopsy finds

The death of the young pilot who fell from a plane headed to Raleigh-Durham International Airport in July has been ruled an accident by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.

The autopsy states 23-year-old Charles Hew Crooks’ death was likely the result of falling out of the back of the plane while vomiting.

“Based on the autopsy findings and circumstances surrounding the death, as currently understood, the cause of death is listed as multiple blunt force injuries. The manner of death is classified as accident,” the report states.

According to the autopsy, Crooks sustained extensive injuries, including several broken bones and fatal internal injuries.

On July 29, Crooks was flying a medium-cargo CASA 212 aircraft with an unnamed pilot.

After carrying a load of skydivers to their drop point, Crooks and the other pilot returned to the airstrip at Raeford in Hoke County. However, when the two tried to land, the right wheel of the plane came off, causing a hard landing.

The decision was then made to ascend again and prepare for an emergency landing at RDU.

Plane hit turbulence on way to RDU

As they traveled to RDU, reports show the plane hit turbulence.

According to an initial National Transportation Safety Board report, Crooks was upset by the hard landing and became restless. He tried to roll down the cockpit window and “may have vomited.”

Eventually he “lowered the ramp in the back of the airplane, indicating that he felt like he was going to be sick and needed air.”

The other pilot said in the report that Crooks then got out of his seat “removed his headset, apologized, and departed the airplane via the aft ramp door.”

While early reports and 911 calls said Crooks “jumped” or “exited” the plane, his autopsy rules that he fell from the aircraft “accidentally.”

“Upon review, it was concluded that the decedent had gone aft, likely to vomit from the open ramp, and accidentally fallen from the aircraft,” the autopsy report said.

This story was updated at 4:05 p.m. Nov 30, 2022, to specify the type of aircraft involved.

This story was originally published November 30, 2022 at 12:51 PM with the headline "Pilot’s death an accident after fall from plane headed for RDU, autopsy finds."