falling out of a twin otter

jet a1 · Post by **jet a1** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 10:56 am

hey guys in the last little while i've heard a few people bring up the story of someone falling out of the back door on a twin otter. the latest version i heard was a captain who was cleaning up and fell out the back door. i've heard other versions aswell. i'm just wondering if this actually did happen or is it's just a tale that's been spun over and over for a long time?

duCapo · Post by **duCapo** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 12:24 pm

Think about it. Why would the captain be cleaning up, when there is a perfectly good peter pilot sitting on his ass in the right seat:-)

sky's the limit · Post by **sky's the limit** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 12:25 pm

Here's what happened.

Our very own ETTW was flying into a Northern Quebec exploration camp, when a brand new Astar helicopter passed in the opposite direction. Full of excitement, he handed control to the f/o, jumped out of his seat and into the rear cabin to watch the afore mentioned Astar pass by on the port side.

In an effort to get one ever lasting look, he inadvertently bumped the door latch and was sucked out into the air stream in a move highly reminiscent of the Aloha 737 a number of years ago. Fortunately, it's late July, and the bugs are so think in Nunavut and Northern Quebec, that his fall was broken enough to escape with only minor bumps and bruises.

Last credible information had him enrolled in Helicopter School....

http://www.griffin-helicopters.co.uk/vi ... deokey=416

stl

just curious · Post by **just curious** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 12:31 pm

Last credible information had him enrolled in Helicopter School....

Ettw's brain wasn't that bruised.

The falling out story is true though.

A crew returning to YZF about 15 years ago was cleaning up for the next trip. Back in the day, it was common practice to crack the cabin door so that the vacuum facilitated sweeping, (like the mosquito quick-jettison hose in the cockpit.) The Captain was in the back sweeping. The FO heard a thump and rushing wind noise, and...

It is not common practice these days.

Big Pratt · Post by **Big Pratt** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 1:08 pm

In the summer of 2001 I met the film crew of the original CSI.
They were wrapping up the shoot for some episode that had a person "opt out" from a flight.
I vaguely remember that it was loosely based on some real event on a twin otter.

That's when I realized that there's as much Vegas in CSI as there's common sense in this biz. It's all filmed around LA with an aerial shot of vegas thrown in now and then...

CYOX · Post by **CYOX** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 1:39 pm

jet a1 wrote:hey guys in the last little while i've heard a few people bring up the story of someone falling out of the back door on a twin otter. the latest version i heard was a captain who was cleaning up and fell out the back door. i've heard other versions aswell. i'm just wondering if this actually did happen or is it's just a tale that's been spun over and over for a long time?

Yes it did happen, it was Northwest of Yellowknife about 15 years ago. Ptarmigan Airways Captain.

golden hawk · Post by **golden hawk** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 1:55 pm

A woman from Hewlett Packard fell (intentionally) from a company Twin Otter in 2000 near Sacramento.

NTSB Identification: LAX01FA059.
The docket is stored in the Docket Management System (DMS). Please contact Records Management Division
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Thursday, December 14, 2000 in SACRAMENTO, CA
Probable Cause Approval Date: 11/25/2003
Aircraft: Dehavilland DHC-6, registration: N252SA
Injuries: 1 Fatal, 6 Uninjured.
A passenger aboard an airplane sustained fatal injuries when she exited the airplane through an emergency exit during flight. The emergency exit door, hinged along the edge toward the nose of the airplane, was on the right side of the cabin between the right rear single seat and the rear pair of seats. Opening the door in flight would require significant force to overcome the wind pressure. The deceased passenger sat by herself next the emergency exit. The passengers in the seats immediately ahead of the emergency exit said they heard a loud sound, like rushing air, behind them and knew this wasn't normal. They thought they felt the wind, and one passenger turned to look over his right shoulder. He saw the deceased passenger with her shoulders out of the door. Her left arm was passing over his head, so he grabbed her coat at her left wrist. He tried to reach further right for a better hold, but now could only see the dark coat and her arm. He felt a tug; the female slipped from his grasp and fell clear of the airplane. Officers from the San Jose Police Department, agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the investigator-in-charge (IIC) from the Safety Board examined the airplane after FBI personnel completed a forensic analysis of the cabin. A red cover, inscribed with the word "LIFT" in white letters, lay over the emergency exit door's operating handle. With this cover lifted up, the handle required a noticeable force to rotate it about 45 degrees in a clockwise direction. Rotation of the handle moved a 1/2-inch diameter metal rod approximately 1-inch from the latched to the unlatched position. The latch receptacle in the airframe did not exhibit any deformities. The IIC locked and unlocked the door several times and detected no malfunctions. The victim's husband informed the FBI that, the day before the incident, his wife scheduled an appointment for counseling later that week. Toxicological tests on the deceased passenger found no ethanol or other drug substances. The coroner's office classified the death as a suicide.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:

The passenger committed suicide.

http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?ev_i ... 0078&key=1

'effin hippie · Post by **'effin hippie** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 2:29 pm

I was riding in the rear left seat of a dhc-6 a little while ago, and there's no button or anything, just turn and push.

Easy to envision ways that could happen accidentally if a seatbelt was off or someone walking around back there. I sure wouldn't want a little kid sitting there.

Really tho... I don't know why I'm shooting my mouth off... gotta be something useful for me to do around here...

ef

nightguy · Post by **nightguy** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 4:27 pm

ETTW would be in the back cleaning if he was not to busy sitting in the front pushing the nose down and send the co-pilot and his lunch flying around the cabin. [/img]

swede · Post by **swede** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 5:18 pm

jet a1 wrote:hey guys in the last little while i've heard a few people bring up the story of someone falling out of the back door on a twin otter. the latest version i heard was a captain who was cleaning up and fell out the back door. i've heard other versions aswell. i'm just wondering if this actually did happen or is it's just a tale that's been spun over and over for a long time?

That is a true story, it happened a couple hundred miles east of Yellowknife in the winter. I believe they returned to retrieve the body.

tofo · Post by **tofo** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 5:32 pm

I was beliving this until swede supported it

oldtimer · Post by **oldtimer** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 8:23 pm

The late owner of a norther Manitoba airline out of Flin Flon had a passenger fall (jump,take your pick) ot of the side door of a Bellenca Airmaster.

ybp · Post by **ybp** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 8:30 pm

Hey, it could happen to anyone....

http://www.livevideo.com/video/3219705E ... rcial.aspx

duCapo · Post by **duCapo** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 6:36 am

There is also the prisoner that jumped out of a turbo otter over the Hecate Str at 5000' about ten years ago. I know tis story is true. Guess he didn't like his future accomodations.

Capt Pistolla · Post by **Capt Pistolla** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 6:47 am

I've heard the Capt story back in the 80's. It was a subject that used to come up after one of us would clean up in the back at the end of the day.

Not much danger of that happening today, as most newbies give you that "who me?" look...

ettw · Post by **ettw** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 8:54 am

STL,

I'm surprised I didnt wake up the housemates this morning at 6 am when I read your post. Too funny!! Thanks.

My day has been downhill ever since.....

On the original post, it must have happened in an airstair equipped twin. I've tossed various things out like survival kits, jerry cans of fuel, etc, etc, and even at 70 knots or so its still a bit of a push. I can't imagine someone falling accidentally out of a forward hinged cargo door.

Just my $.02

Cheers,

ETTW

PS Nightguy....no need to post pics now.....

sky's the limit · Post by **sky's the limit** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 9:20 am

ettw wrote:STL,

I'm surprised I didnt wake up the housemates this morning at 6 am when I read your post. Too funny!! Thanks.

My pleasure....

Busted · Post by **Busted** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 10:01 am

CYOX, and Just Curious your facts are right it was a Ptarmigan Capt, the F.O is now a senior Capt at WJ.

His name was painted on the side of the twotter until First Air bought and repainted it. The door was a forward opening one. The body was recovered that day or the next morning (but they were at the end of their day on the last trip as I remember).

This is all fact as he was a family friend............

twotterflyer · Post by **twotterflyer** » Fri Jul 27, 2007 3:19 am

I fell out of a twinotter before!! when I stood up I had to bow for the audience! They wanted an encore!!!

Blue Side Down · Post by **Blue Side Down** » Fri Jul 27, 2007 8:38 am

I've fallen out of a Twin Otter at altitude twice.

Can't wait to do it again.

tomato · Post by **tomato** » Fri Jul 27, 2007 11:15 am

The dhc6 is now operated by the twin operator in the YK that can not be mentioned on this form tfx arw or txq can't quite remember and the guys name is still painted on the door

CLguy · Post by **CLguy** » Fri Jul 27, 2007 11:25 am

I heard years ago the speculation on what actually happened was he was indeed cleaning up in the back and apparently had his parka on. The thought is that one of the big pockets caught the door handle as he turned in the cabin.

Of course they were never able to explain how the co-pilots boot print got on his back!!!

Busted · Post by **Busted** » Fri Jul 27, 2007 3:31 pm

The twotter was ARW and I just looked at my pics of it in the ASW colors and don't see his name on it.

TFX has a name on it also, but it was put on by First Air after they painted it.

swede · Post by **swede** » Sat Jul 28, 2007 6:40 pm

Capt Pistolla wrote:I've heard the Capt story back in the 80's. It was a subject that used to come up after one of us would clean up in the back at the end of the day.

Not much danger of that happening today, as most newbies give you that "who me?" look...

Maybe the guy jumped, did they consider what was going on in his personal life etc.?

MUSKEG · Post by **MUSKEG** » Mon Jul 30, 2007 3:37 pm

I have a hard time believing it was the front half that opened. The slip stream would make that door very hard to open. Could it be that the latches on the aft door were not in place and when the front half opened a little it released the aft door which would very definately open into the wind.

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