In July 2022, a chilling incident occurred mid-flight when a co-pilot unexpectedly leapt from a CASA C-212 cargo plane before it made an emergency landing at Raleigh-Durham International Airport.
In newly released FAA audio, the pilot calmly reports: “My co-pilot just ran out the back of the plane.” When asked to clarify, he confirms, “No, he just jumped out the back of the plane… without a parachute.”
The aircraft had lost a main landing gear wheel and was preparing for an emergency landing. The pilot alerted air traffic: “You’re gonna have a dead body out where I just called you at.”
Authorities later recovered the body of 23-year-old Charles Hew Crooks in a residential backyard in Fuquay-Varina. An autopsy confirmed he died from blunt force injuries due to an “accidental fall.”
Investigations revealed the crew had been dropping skydivers, and the ramp was open at the time. Crooks had reportedly felt ill and told the pilot he was going to be sick before walking toward the rear of the aircraft.
“They were flying at approximately 3,500 feet… the aircraft encountered moderate turbulence,” the report stated. Crooks had no alcohol or drugs in his system, and no underlying health issues.
