Man sentenced in Dillingham float plane assault

[golden hawk]

http://www.ktva.com/story/37760918/man- ... ne-assault

Man sentenced in Dillingham float plane assault

Monday, March 19th 2018, 1:17 pm PDT by Angela Krenzien

Updated: Monday, March 19th 2018, 5:39 pm PDT


Last Thursday, Superior Court Judge Christina Reigh sentenced 38-year-old Benjamin Hancock to a $25,000 fine, probation, and restitution for a felony assault that happened in June 2014.

The incident happened on the Mulchatna River, near Dillingham, when Hancock struck a boater in the head with a float plane he was piloting. The victim suffered permanent brain damage.

State Troopers investigated and found Hancock and another pilot had been accompanying the victim and another boater as they moved skiffs on the river. Hancock said he hit a downdraft during takeoff, but others said Hancock "buzzed" the victim, flying deliberately and dangerously low over the boat.

Alaska Wildlife Troopers reviewed GPS data from the flight and testified Hancock could have been well above the victim when the incident occurred.

At the sentencing hearing, the judge said she considered this kind of reckless flying a serious problem in rural Alaska, noting the victim and his family have had their lives dramatically altered by Hancock's reckless actions.

She added that she hoped Hancock's conviction, probation and fine would send a message to other pilots that there are serious consequences for reckless conduct.

[pelmet]

The problem is...people take things way too far.

Of course, doing a buzz job is illegal. Have I done a few way back when? Maybe...and yes, I know...it was bad judgement but at least have the little bit of sense to leave yourself some margin. That way if things don't quite go as planned, there is some room for error. But some just have to go extremely close and this type of accident is the result.

Look at this one, absolutly no margin.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FezmL6iuMpc

[JL]

Or this low flying tragedy https://www.google.ca/amp/www.cbc.ca/amp/1.1237550

[GyvAir]

The problem is...people take things way too far.

Of course, doing a buzz job is illegal. Have I done a few way back when? Maybe...and yes, I know...it was bad judgement but at least have the little bit of sense to leave yourself some margin. That way if things don't quite go as planned, there is some room for error. But some just have to go extremely close and this type of accident is the result.

Look at this one, absolutly no margin.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FezmL6iuMpc

It's OK.. he/she was just doing some surface acro. (Starting around 6:30... though the bit from 2:30 to 6:30 is a spectacle of its own)