Investigation Finds Florida Man Died Seconds Before Impact

The 80-year old pilot of an ultralight trainer that crashed in southwest Florida died of a heart attack before the aircraft hit the ground Sunday, according to the widow.

"By the time the plane hit the ground, he was no longer aware of it," Gloria Philbrick told the Charlotte Sun-Herald after speaking to the Charlotte County Medical Examiner's Office about the cause of her husband Ray's death. "The man was no longer alive. That is what caused (the accident). It wasn't carelessness on his part."

That flatly contradicts speculation from a GA pilot who flew over Charlotte County Airport shortly after Philbrick's ultralight trainer went down. Craig DeVries, who flies for the Bald Eagle Flight school, told the Sun-Herald Sunday that ultralights and the pilots who fly them are inherently dangerous.

"They're basically made out of nylon vinyl," he said. "It's a go-cart with a pair of wings. You can usually take a pencil and stab it through a wing. And if you can fly one, you're an instructor. Most people teach themselves. They don't need to go through the training you go through to be a pilot."
[Note to Mr. DeVries... You, sir, should only comment on what you know about... your comments are errant, untrue and improperly defamed a segment of aviation that does not need a member of the aviation community to add to the many misunderstandings already in circulation about this exciting sport aviation pastime. Shame on you...--Jim Campbell-ANN E-I-C]

Mrs. Philbrick said her husband had a history of heart problems, but that he had gotten much better over the past couple of years. His two-place aqua ultralight, thought by witnesses to have been a Challenger, nose dived into the runway at Charlotte County Airport Sunday while he was practicing touch-and-go's. Philbrick was dead at the scene.

As for Gloria, who was married to Ray for 43 years, the Sun-Herald reports she's comforted knowing that there was nothing her husband could have done to prevent the accident.

FMI: www.charlotte-florida.com/Community/Airport.htm