Media, Police, FAA All Critical Of Both Pilot And Jumper

The pilot of a DeHavilland DHC-6 Twin Otter and a skydiver -- close friends, by all accounts -- often played a daredevil game of "chicken," racing to see who would land first. The loser had to buy the beer. But the last time they flew together, the loser lost his life.

That's the gist of an FAA report on the death of veteran skydiver Albert "Gus" Wing III, 50, whose legs were severed at the knees just as he deployed his parachute over Deland, FL, April 23rd. The FAA said Wing was able to maneuver his canopy close to the airport, but died of his injuries a short time later.

"It seemed to be common knowledge that the two of them would play 'chicken' sometimes and would race to see who can get back on the ground first. Phrases like, 'Whoever is last to land buys the beer.'" the Deland Police Department said in its report recommending criminal charges against Skydive Deland pilot William Buchman, according to documents obtained by the Daytona Beach News-Journal.

Buchman's license has now been revoked. In issuing the revocation, the FAA stated, "Your operation caused the aircraft to collide with Albert G. Wing who sustained fatal injuries including both of his legs to be severed above the knee. In addition, there was substantial damage to the aircraft. Such conduct reflects an airman who is either unwilling or unable to comply with basic regulatory requirements governing flight operations."

The reports were also based, in part, on the statements of witnesses like pilot Christopher Hayes, who was the first to reach Wing after he landed. He told police that Buchman's DHC-6 (file photo of type, above) appeared to be flying well below pattern altitude as he made his approach to land.

"I first thought he was going to clear the divers, but one of the divers was slowly controlling his shoot (chute) to the ground," Hays wrote in a statement to the DeLand Police Department. "At approx that time the left wing of the aircraft struck the diver from behind."

Aero-News publisher Jim Campbell, himself an accomplished skydiver, suggested the authorities might have taken some of the statements made by Wing, Buchman and witnesses too literally. "There's a certain 'gallows humor' prevalant in skydiving. It's something an outsider might not understand."

Buchman's lawyer strongly disagreed with the police and government statements, calling the mid-air between diver and plane "a tragic accident, nothing more than that," according to the News-Journal.

FMI: www.faa.gov, www.skydivedeland.com