A newly released report from the National Transportation Safety Board provides more details about events that led to a 23-year-old co-pilot jumping from a plane before its July 29 emergency landing at Raleigh-Durham International Airport. The NTSB report stated that Charles Hew Crooks was “visibly upset” as they planned their approach to the RDU with air traffic control. Crooks’ co-pilot, who was in command, reported moderate turbulence during the flight and that about 20 minutes after diverting to the RDU, after an emergency briefing and briefing, Crooks was “visibly upset” about the hard landing. According to the report, Crooks had been communicating with air traffic control up until that point in the flight. After his final transmission, the captain says that Crooks opened his side window in the cockpit and “may have gotten sick.” The captain then took over the radio and said Crooks lowered the ramp at the back of the plane, “indicating that he felt he was going to be sick and needed air.”
Crooks apologized before leaving the plane
The captain told the NTSB that they had flown two parachute runs already that day, before landing at Raeford West Airport to pick up a third group. According to the USSOC, they were assisting in Fort Bragg’s standard training. Crooks was flying the approach when the plane descended below the tree line and “crashed”. Both pilots then called for a “go-around”, which Crooks initiated. However, before Crooks could begin climbing, the right main landing gear fell to the runway. The captain took control from Crooks and flew a low approach so airport personnel could verify the damage. Airport officials informed the pilot that they had found a broken piece of landing gear on the runway, prompting the captain to tell Crooks to declare an emergency and request a diversion to the RDU for landing. According to the report, Crooks “got up from his seat, removed his headphones, apologized and exited the plane through the rear ramp door.” Crooks’ body was found in a Fuquay-Varina yard hours after the plane landed at RDU.
Crooks’ colleague responds to the report’s findings
WRAL News went through the NTSB report with Crooks’ former colleague Laurent Bert-Roussel, who spent eight hours on the air with Crooks. “I was shocked and I couldn’t believe it,” Bert-Roussel said. “The report says he jumped, or jumped, or fell.” Bert-Roussel still doubts whether Crooks jumped or fell. “He was very professional, nice, nice,” Bert-Roussel said. “But, I never saw him in a state of stress. People handle stress differently.” The governor provided details of the report. However, their name is redacted.
