Police Recommend Manslaughter Count Be Filed

Based on published media reports, Aero-News erroneously reported this week that the pilot of a DeHavilland DHC-6 Twin Otter (file photo of type, below) has been charged with manslaughter in the death of a skydiver who had just jumped from his plane over Deland, FL. Instead, Deland Police recommended to the Florida State Attorney's Office that charges be filed, but the State Attorney's Office has yet to act on that recommendation.

Our sources erroneously reported the charges had been filed on October 5th. Police won't release the evidence they say implicates William Buchmann, a pilot for Skydive Deland, is somehow responsible for the death of 55-year old Albert "Gus" Wing III.

Buchmann was reportedly diving back toward the airport after releasing his jumpers when his left wing severed both of Wing's legs at the knees. Wing survived the jump, but died a short time later.

"For him [Buchmann] to be charged with manslaughter, the police department is going to have to show he was negligent in some fashion in the way he was flying the airplane," Cmdr. Randel Henderson, DeLand police spokesman told the Orlando Sentinel. "We have to show that the degree of fault is such that the culpable negligence has been met.... That's going to be the catch phrase."

The announcement that police were seeking charges came as a surprise to many in the Florida skydiving community. It also surprised Wing's mother, who spoke with a Sentinel reporter by phone from her home in Virginia.

"No, no, there was no intent to do harm to Gus at all," said Gladys Wing. "They were good friends."

"I don't think you could find anyone of any means in sky diving who would call this anything other than a tragic accident," said Richard Schachner, the southeast regional director of the USPA. "I don't feel a charge like that is really warranted."

The NTSB said its investigation wouldn't be complete for at least "a couple of months." The FAA said Buchmann's flying record over four decades was "unblemished."

FMI: www.ntsb.gov