Canadian rapper dies after falling off airplane wing in failed stunt in B.C.

[PilotDAR]

worse case is buddy couldve taken out a rudder or what not and caused a more serious situation.

A little while after my scare, where the wingstrut trailing jumpers had caused me to tumble the 185, I was reading some parachuting stories. One caught my eye; a similar event had occurred in a 180 in Ontario years earlier. when the 180 tumbled, the pilot was flung out the still open jump door, and fell to his death. Then I understood why the jump club required me to wear a parachute too.

Whether a person trailing from a wingstrut is a worthwhile risk to take is still an open question in my mind. But I do now understand that when people are exiting a plane in flight, every other risk must be mitigated - starting with everyone wearing a 'chute, with enough altitude to safe make use of it.

[GRK2]

https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/sarah-sch ... 81946.html

Just sayin...plus the guy that fell off the strut? Where do I nominate him for a DARWIN?

[BE02 Driver]

And what’s up with milk in a bag? Like seriously. Who puts milk in a bag!

It was at one point a big thing here on the east coast.

I personally love this thread drift. Play stupid games, win stupid prizes. What were his expectations?

I agree.

Thanks for the laugh on the other thread. I'm still laughing. Caught me off guard.....

[sportingrifle]

Just for clarification, this was not part of a drop zone operation regulated by TC or CSPA. This was an adhoc operation organized between himself and his aircraft owner buddy, who is also an extreme activity type.

While parachuting, airshows, formation flying, and aggressive back country flying all involve an increased level of risk, as Pilot DAR said, it is a measured, mitigated, and regulated risk. This at initial glance unfortunately seems closer to a "hold my beer and watch this" sort of risk.

Just mentioning this as it would be unfair to lump sport parachutists and display pilots in with this event.

sportingrifle.

[cncpc]

Shite pre flight planning. Surely that problem could have been foreseen and the guy told how far along the wing he could go?

Or fly high enough that falling off the wing would leave you time for your parachute?

None of the facts of this are really clear. He was "wingwalking" on a Cessna 180... So how did he get up on the wing in the first place? Was he actually just climbing out on the strut? He managed to "hold on as long as possible..." to what? there's nothing on the end of the wing, unless it was the wingtip he was holding on to, and his hand was blocking the gap. Was there an SFOC in place? What does it say?

Wondering the same thing about the "method".

I used to be a half-assed jumper and a jump pilot, jumping in Kamloops and the Okanagan and flying in Ireland. Most jumping was on round chutes back then, and most static line exits were on a step reaching for the strut and then left foot on the step, right foot trailing balancing with both hands on the strut. Stepping off but hanging on was definitely not allowed as it was believed it could cause the strut to fail. But it may have been also because the lateral cg limit would be exceeded and the ailerons couldn't counteract the roll. But, so long as the weight was on the step, it was all good. We did have a first timer, a future Trump supporter, at Salmon Arm jumping out of Dave Harrington's old Minion field down in the valley, who kicked off and held on until past the lake shore, and I think the jumpmaster had to whack his hands with a stick to get him to let go. He wasn't afraid to jump, he was just acting the maggot. He landed somewhere far away from the field but was ok.

Glad to hear this wasn't the professionals at the jump operations at Vernon or Salmon Arm, though.

It's all very sad.

[JasonE]

See my sig.

[PilotDAR]

but hanging on was definitely not allowed as it was believed it could cause the strut to fail.

Okay, whoever believed that probably has not watched a really large bush pilot stand on the refueling step and not break the strut.

But it may have been also because the lateral cg limit would be exceeded and the ailerons couldn't counteract the roll. But, so long as the weight was on the step, it was all good

Helicopters do have lateral C of G limits, and some fixed wing have maximum fuel imbalance weights. A 180 is not limited this way. Though unpleasant to fly, it can be flown one wing tank full, the other empty, which would be about the same as someone trailing from the strut. From first hand experience, I can state that a 185 is not capable of straight flight at 60 knots, with four jumpers trailing from the strut. It felt more effect of drag that weight though....

[dogone]

This story may be relevant ; In about 1975 a duster pilot in south sask took a friend for a circuit on his C188. The passenger held onto the strut and of course sat on the wing. The pilot said it was the stupidest thing he had ever done. True story ; I know the passenger is still around.

[pelmet]

I used to be a half-assed jumper and a jump pilot, jumping in Kamloops and the Okanagan and flying in Ireland. Most jumping was on round chutes back then, and most static line exits were on a step reaching for the strut and then left foot on the step, right foot trailing balancing with both hands on the strut. Stepping off but hanging on was definitely not allowed as it was believed it could cause the strut to fail.

I did plenty of flying in a C180/182/185(and several dual flights in a Beech 18) along withplenty of jumps myself. There was plenty of unusual activities when it came to antics involving the wing strut. One guy was even able to hang from the strut, bring his legs all the way up until he was upside down with the top of his feet curled over the leading edge of the wing, then let go of the strut and hang from the wing upside down, wave to the pilot before falling away. I tried to do it once and couldn't even come close to doing it.

Cessna struts can take a lot of load, I doubt there was any damage from the antics I saw(although there was plenty of damage and interesting stories from other activities, incidents, etc in those days)

Overall, good memories for me.

[DonutHole]

A 180 is not limited this way. Though unpleasant to fly, it can be flown one wing tank full, the other empty, which would be about the same as someone trailing from the strut. From first hand experience, I can state that a 185 is not capable of straight flight at 60 knots, with four jumpers trailing from the strut. It felt more effect of drag that weight though....

You've accounted for the weight but not the drag

[TG]

But it may have been also because the lateral cg limit would be exceeded and the ailerons couldn't counteract the roll

Probably the case yes.

I used to flying for a drop zone in the early 90's.
One day a regular jumper came up with the bright idea to wing walk a C-182 before actually jumping from it.
"Just for fun!"
"Sure! why not"
Dumb and happy we were I think!

We did a good brief though! Location, direction, duration of the jump run and how he would manage that.
I can't remember for the life of me how high we were exactly. Just not low for sure, probably around 8 or 9000' which was our standard jump's height at that time.
So a good margin for screw up but less for our C-182's performances.... Euphemism!
He practiced a few times on the ground and said that with the wind blast holding him on the leading edge, it would be much easier anyway.
Ok, sure...

Off we went.
A first group of 3 took the exit, he went right after them on top of the wings.
I could feel his weight moving around very easily. 150lbs top with his parachute's gear!
Then he decided to go in the center box, which wasn't briefed! That sh!t move works well on a twin tail like a B-18 but not on a Cessna.
It totally altered the airflow on the tail, to the point that I was getting worried to loose controls.

He must have felt my hand banging on the ceiling pretty hard, or the 182 going very mushy under him. Either way he started going to the right side. As soon as he moved away from the center I recovered controls. Then, the ailerons hit their stops with him slightly past mid-wing!
I just couldn't hold him anymore (Maybe going a little faster would have helped)

So I banked hard right to flush him away.
That worked, he did his free fall, opened his chute and landed at the DZ with no issues.

[TG]

Double

[5x5]

but anytime the words stunt and airplane are used in the same sentence there's a strong likelihood no good will come of it. Hard to feel all that sorry for people who take stupid risks so they can video it to impress their friends.

Shut down all the airshows I guess, right?

Reasoning and interpretation aren't your strong suits, right?

[cncpc]

But it may have been also because the lateral cg limit would be exceeded and the ailerons couldn't counteract the roll

Probably the case yes.

I used to flying for a drop zone in the early 90's.
One day a regular jumper came up with the bright idea to wing walk a C-182 before actually jumping from it.
"Just for fun!"
"Sure! why not"
Dumb and happy we were I think!

We did a good brief though! Location, direction, duration of the jump run and how he would manage that.
I can't remember for the life of me how high we were exactly. Just not low for sure, probably around 8 or 9000' which was our standard jump's height at that time.
So a good margin for screw up but less for our C-182's performances.... Euphemism!
He practiced a few times on the ground and said that with the wind blast holding him on the leading edge, it would be much easier anyway.
Ok, sure...

Off we went.
A first group of 3 took the exit, he went right after them on top of the wings.
I could feel his weight moving around very easily. 150lbs top with his parachute's gear!
Then he decided to go in the center box, which wasn't briefed! That sh!t move works well on a twin tail like a B-18 but not on a Cessna.
It totally altered the airflow on the tail, to the point that I was getting worried to loose controls.

He must have felt my hand banging on the ceiling pretty hard, or the 182 going very mushy under him. Either way he started going to the right side. As soon as he moved away from the center I recovered controls. Then, the ailerons hit their stops with him slightly past mid-wing!
I just couldn't hold him anymore (Maybe going a little faster would have helped)

So I banked hard right to flush him away.
That worked, he did his free fall, opened his chute and landed at the DZ with no issues.

How does he get from inside the 182 to the top of the wing?

[AirFrame]

How does he get from inside the 182 to the top of the wing?

Climb forward onto strut, grab cowl handle, step one foot up onto the fuselage ahead of the windshield, move hands to top of wing, pull up onto the wing. The air flow pushing you against the leading edge of the wing would help. The large spinny slicy-dicey thing a foot or so away wouldn't be very reassuring.

The photo on social media showing a person standing on the top of the wing on a tricycle gear Cessna seems to have some extra hardware mounted to the top of the wing right at the top of the windshield. Maybe a handhold was added for this? Or maybe it's a hard point that the person can tether to and just lay there on top of the wing starting out on the ground?

If I had to do this stunt myself, my gut reaction is that good holds on the top of the wing and just starting out there would be easier (safer? hard to say) than trying to climb up once in the air.

[JasonE]

For those who want to try it "safely": http://masonwingwalking.com/index.html

[GyvAir]

One way of doing it:

[GyvAir]

Or a low wing version. Not sure what the plane is:

[cncpc]

Or a low wing version. Not sure what the plane is:

Looks like a Seneca. Lot of down aileron.

[TG]

How does he get from inside the 182 to the top of the wing?

Climb forward onto strut, grab cowl handle, step one foot up onto the fuselage ahead of the windshield, move hands to top of wing, pull up onto the wing. The air flow pushing you against the leading edge of the wing would help. The large spinny slicy-dicey thing a foot or so away wouldn't be very reassuring.

That's exactly how he did it in my case.
And he never stood up, just moved around on his knees, crawling along the leading edge with his hands. Like the video above.
I'm not sure what he was holding on while in the middle. An antenna maybe?

About the rapper guy, when his aircraft stalled, he seems to have clung to his position wayyy too long instead of letting it go right away.
Being already low probably didn't help with his decision making.

Again, in my particular case, I felt loosing ailerons authority with him crawling toward the wingtip.
So before it happen and went into a spin, I "forced" him out by banking hard on his side. He just let it go figuring out that was probably better than ridding the incoming event.


We had a good margin, they didn't.