KEY POINTS

  • Charles Crooks, 23, jumped from a twin-engine Casa 212-200 on July 29
  • His body was found in the backyard of a home about 30 miles away from the landing
  • He was passionate about flying and had joined Rampart Aviation months before the incident 

A young co-pilot who allegedly plummeted to death from an aircraft in North Carolina was visibly upset about damaging the plane in a botched landing attempt, the National Transportation Safety Board said in a preliminary report released Tuesday.

Charles Hew Crooks, 23, jumped from a twin-engine Casa 212-200 on July 29 after he was forced to divert the place to another airport for an emergency landing, as per the report.

The hard-landing incident took place after the plane ran two skydiving runs and then descended to the Raeford West Airport in North Carolina for a third stint, the unidentified pilot-in-command (PIC) told federal investigators.

Crooks, the second-in-command (SIC), was flying the approach to the airport until the plane descended below the tree line and dropped. The accident resulted in the right main landing gear of the plane hitting the runway, NY Post reported.

Airfield personnel, who verified the damage to the aircraft, informed the PIC that they recovered the fractured right main landing gear on the runway. The pilot in command then took control and directed Crooks to declare an emergency before requesting a diversion to Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) for landing.

"About 20 minutes into the diversion to RDU, after conducting approach and emergency briefings, the SIC became visibly upset about the hard landing," the PIC told investigators according to the report.

Crooks, who "may have gotten sick," then opened his side cockpit window while the plane was at 3,500 feet and lowered the ramp in the back of the airplane, indicating that he needed air, the report added.

The PIC further told the investigators that Crooks then "got up from his seat, removed his headset, apologized and departed the airplane via the aft ramp door."

The pilot then informed the air traffic control that his co-pilot had departed the airplane without a parachute, CT Insider reported.

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Crooks' body was found by the investigators in the backyard of a home about 30 miles from the Raleigh-Durham airport.

The young pilot, who was always passionate about flying, accepted the job at Rampart Aviation just five months before the tragic incident. He reportedly told his family that he was exactly where he wanted to be just days before.

"I'm the happiest I've ever been in my life and I wouldn't trade places with anyone in the world," Crooks reportedly said, according to his online obituary.

If you have thoughts of suicide, confidential help is available for free at the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Call 1-800-273-8255. The line is available 24 hours, every day.