Oops, don't give this guy a ride!
 

Man Accidentally Pulls Eject Lever While Flying in Jet
Monday, November 02, 2009

A passenger enjoying a civilian joyride accidentally cut the trip short when he ejected himself from the plane after grabbing the eject lever while trying to brace himself.

The passenger, who was flying in a Pilatus PC-7 Mk II with an air force pilot friend, The Daily Mail reported.

He was instantly blasted 320-feet into the sky by the rocket-powered chair, before floating to the ground with an automatic parachute, the paper reported.

Air Force officers quickly deployed a helicopter to retrieve the passenger after his fall 80 miles south of Cape Town, South Africa.

The pilot of the craft, Captain Gerhard Lourens, is a long-time member of the Silver Falcons air force air display team, according to The Daily Mail.

Oh I know it's a REALLY bad thing and you aren't supposed to pull that lever unless you're looking death square in the eyes, but still...

Man I bet that was an e-ticket ride! Especially since he probably had no idea it was coming - just POP - BANG - WHOOSH - SCREAMMMMM!!! :eek:

angela

Bad editors. Can't even copy and paste an article properly. Having been in Cape Town recently, I was wondering what the pilots were doing 80 miles south of the city. That would have been in way over the Atlantic Ocean.

Turns out they were "Air Force bosses scrambled a helicopter to pick him up after the blunder near Langebaanweg airfield, 80 miles north of Cape Town." LINK

Picky, I know. Wonder if the civilian will get billed?

It seems as if it was an unauthorised joyride. Pilot will probably end up carrying the can for this one.

Link to original South African newspaper article in this thread:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/off-topic-discussions/508393-guess-he-wont-pull-lever-again.html

eeh
since when is a Pilatus PC-7 Mk II a jet???

http://cdn-www.airliners.net/aviatio.../5/1367530.jpg

Here's a transcript of the cockpit voice recorder:

Passenger: "Wow, Gerhard, this is awesome. Say, what's this lever for?"
Gerhard: "Don't pu.."
(Loud whooshing noise)
Gerhard: "Bloody wanker."

the warm, smelly brown stuff running down his leg only added to the allure of the sky...