Pharmaceutical salesman Robert Gary Jones, age 38, of Woodstock, Georgia and a father of two children, was killed last Monday, March 15, when he was struck by an aircraft while jogging along a beach on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. The plane, which hit Mr. Jones in his upper body, was a high performance, experimental Lancair IV-P (N9JE) that is assembled from kits made in Redmond, Oregon. It was piloted by Edward Ivey Smith, age 59 of Chesapeake, Virginia, who had lost power and was trying to land at nearby Hilton Head Airport (HXD).
CAPTIONS: (ABOVE LEFT) An Experimental Lancair IV-P airplane lies beached on Hilton Head Island, S.C., Tuesday, March 16, 2010, the day after its pilot made an emergency landing. The pilot, Edward Smith, and his passenger survived the crash, but man jogging on the beach was killed when he was struck by the plane. (AP Photo/Russ Bynum); (BELOW RIGHT ONE) A tow boat floats offshore from the scene where a small plane crash landed on the beach of Palmetto Dunes along Hilton Head, S.C., Monday, March 15, 2010. Officials said a man was killed during the plane's emergency landing. (AP Photo/The (Hilton Head) Island Packet, Jay Karr); (BELOW RIGHT TWO) Edward Smith, pilot of a small plane that crashed Monday evening on Hilton Head Island, SC, inspects his aircraft Tuesday, March 16, 2010 as it is hoisted onto a trailer for removal from the beach. (AP Photo/Russ Bynum); (BELOW LEFT) Pilot Edward Smith, second right, pilot of a small plane that crashed Monday evening on Hilton Head Island, SC, walks toward his aircraft Tuesday, March 16, 2010. (AP Photo/Russ Bynum); (BELOW RIGHT BOTTOM) This photo of a Canadian Lancair IV-P was taken at the Canadian Owners and Pilots Association Convention in Wetaskiwin Alberta June 2005. This plane was built by Gerry Leinweber & Jerry Mulder. The kit was picked up at the Lancair factory in Redmond Dec. 1995 and first flew six years later, on Nov. 21, 2001. Since that time it has over 300 hours on it, and has survived both a lightening strike and a nose gear failure. (Wikipedia/Released into the public domain)
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The pilot was attempting to make an emergency landing and had limited visibility after losing his propeller, and oil began spraying on his windscreen while the aircraft was at 13,000 feet. There was also one passenger on board, David Henry, age 59, also of Chesapeake, VA. Both were shaken, but uninjured after the plane came to rest on the beach, not far from the Hilton Head Marriott Resort and Spa. The aircraft was en route to Hampton Roads Executive Airport (PVG) in Virginia from Orlando Executive Airport (ORL) in Florida.
Witnesses to the accident said that there was no sound, and without power the Lancair behaved as a glider. The unfortunate jogger, Mr. Jones, was listening to music on his iPod and was unaware that he was in danger. He apparently died instantly from the impact. The National Transportation Safety Board and the FAA are both investigating the accident, which is already listed on the Aviation Safety Network website.
A first responder, Joheida Fister, a firefighter, commented "The pilot and his passenger were really shaken. I would have to say that it was a very unusual incident."
According to the victim's mother, Jones, was serious about nutrition and exercise, especially jogging, and was on a business trip to Hilton Head for GlaxoSmithKline. He was looking forward to getting home to his northern Atlanta suburb, for his daughter's third birthday, which is today. Speaking to the Associated Press, Pauline Jones added in a shaking voice, "I was never so shocked in all my life," after learning the news of her son's death.
Smith, an experienced pilot, was on the beach Tuesday, when the four-seater aircraft was hoisted onto a trailer hitched to a pickup truck and towed away.
"I've got a lot of issues going on right now," Smith told the AP. "I've got a plane that's all torn up. And
I've got a young man that I killed."
In fastbuild kit form, the Lancair IV-P sells for $129,900. The finished aircraft is estimated to have a value of $350,000 to $550,000. It can carry three passengers in addition to the pilot, has a cruise speed of 330 mph (534 km/h, 286 knots), and a range of range of 1,550 miles (2511 km). It's cabin is pressurized, allowing it a cruising altitude of over 25,000 feet. It is considered one of the fastest four-seat single engine propeller driven plane in the world.
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Comments
What an awful tragedy! Freak accidents like this make you think that you just never know when your last day will be, so live each day to the fullest.
Regarding comments below by Debbra Brouillette left on March 17, at 8:14 PM, I would agree with you about living each moment of life to the fullest. The young man who was killed was in the prime of his life, in one of the safest resort areas of the world, enjoying the beach, exercising and listening to music. That is what makes this story so sad, riveting and quirky. For whatever reason, outlandish chance and fate cut his productive life short. It is a reminder that none of us want to face, that life for all of us hangs by a very fragile thread, that can easily be broken at any moment.
Thank you Debbra for taking the time to leave your thoughts, which are much appreciated.
Excellent coverage, Joel. I read this story elsewhere but you did a better job covering this sad story. Your comments are also poignant.
This is very sad. I always wonder when I see people walking, jogging etc. plugged into earphones. I feel it's really important to have all your senses available to you at all times. I am not a fan of earphones unless I am on a plane- and then I have zero control over my environment anyway.
Wow- this is awful! Poor man!
I have a question, doesn't the plane have a sound horn? I know cars do, would be useful... Anyways just bad timing I suppose.
I flew gliders for many years and I can sympathize with all concerned in this tragedy. When I mad my first solo landing, another glider pilot landed ahead of me. He strolled in front of me, crossing the runway with his back to me.
I touched down, making a slight sound, just before I hit him and he instinctively ran, the long wings just missing him by inches! I felt helpless and wish I would have had the presence of mind to just YELL!
In the case it seems there was no blame to place on anyone! Great reporting, it takes time and skill to get all the facts in!
I am an avid jogger and a career pilot, so my heart goes out to everyone involved (most especially to the family of the victim). By the way, it's great to see a website that promotes accurate & thorough reporting, intellgient conversation, and mutual respect.
It's so sad to see such a tragedy. I know the pilot must be hurting deeply today as well as the vicitim's family. I know as a pilot, my number one goal is the safety of others.
In answer to Nin, no we don't have horns. You have to realize any added weight to a plane is cargo weight lost. We would have almost no use for a horn. We typically fly from airports where people watch out for us.
How weird and tragic can it get? I remember the guy in Catch-22 who got sliced in half by an aircraft. Hope that didn't happen, but no matter what, ewww.
We live right down the road in the Palmetto Dunes Plantation. It hurts much to know of the tragedy this family suffered. Robert's family is in many Hilton Head residents' prayers.
I really hope the pilot had enough insurance to cover the funeral costs and help in raising this man's children. If not, I hope the widow can get as much money out of this guy as possible. Those experimental planes are dangerous and should be outlawed.
Yeah Judy! All freak accidents should result in lawsuits and bans! It's the American way! Besides everyone knows every pilot is evil and rich!
The pilot lost power at an altitude that would allow him to glide about 26 miles. That is ample time to select a suitable place to touch down, yet he selected a beach where people would be. Even with oil on the windscrean he could yaw to left or right to see straight ahead out the side windows. He was obviously not concerned about people on the ground and concerned about himself and his airplane. He could have landed where there were no people. This man should be charged with willful manslaughter. The jogger's family should take everything of value the pilot owns
What an idiotic remark. It was an accident. Your no pilot. Your just some dope waiting to make stupid remarks about somethng you have no idea what your talking about. This is why we have a jury and judges. So hang em high fools can't hang people before all the facts are in.
The pilot made a nice landing and he had to be able to see to do that. He should have seen the man on the beach and made a slight turn during the last few seconds and put the airpane in the water. This pilot's action is absolutely unforgivable.
"The pilot lost power at an altitude that would allow him to glide about 26 miles. That is ample time to select a suitable place to touch down, yet he selected a beach where people would be. Even with oil on the windscrean he could yaw to left or right to see straight ahead out the side windows. He was obviously not concerned about people on the ground and concerned about himself and his airplane. He could have landed where there were no people. This man should be charged with willful manslaughter. The jogger's family should take everything of value the pilot owns"
Where you THERE!!!! I think you should keep comments like this to yourself as you are obviously ignorant.
You are the one that is obviously ignorant and evidently have no knowledge of flying aircraft. I have flown for 30 years with thousands of hours with all the ratings. Any professional pilot would agree that the action of this pilot was absolutely unforgivable. If I were flying the airplane the man would be living today. You watch, the lawyers will take all the man has.
Yep, I'm sure you have your "privates" so you should know......
I bet you are a GREAT arm chair quarterback too!!!!!
Near death experience--
My 18 year old daughter Kelsey, was on Hilton Head island with her tennis team from Nebraska Wesleyan University when this happened. She had left the beach with some friends earlier, but decided to go back to the beach alone on her bicycle to see if 3 of her friends were still there. They were gone when she arrived, so she decided to stay, and call me while walking along the beach. I was a bit worried about her being there alone and with very few other people on the beach. I reminded her to be aware of her surroundings and to make sure she also checked behind her to make sure she was safe. We had been talking around 30 minutes, and it was just after 6:00pm there, when the plane did an emergency landing exactly where she had stopped to pick up a couple seashells, just seconds earlier. She heard nothing until it crashed, and she turned around, seeing people running away in a panic. She was quite calm considering the situation, which to me at the time was a littl
at the time was a little sketchy, but her main concern was whether the pilot was hurt and her needing to get over to the plane to help. I overheard a paramedic or someone questioning her about what she was doing and that she would have to go to the soft sand away from the plane. It wasn't until she walked around the plane to where the people were that she found out a man had been killed and was laying on the beach. The plane, which she'd been on the other side of and the people huddled around the body earlier--had blocked her view of it, thankfully. She did see the body later, covered with a thin white sheet, and described how it sickened her to see the complete outline of it. I texted her afterwards to tell her how sorry I was that she had to experience all that, but I was so thankful that God spared her life. I said that you just never know when your time might be up.
My heart goes out to the family who lost a father, husband and son. I cannot imagine how I would feel if it had b
My heart goes out to the family who lost a father, husband and son. I cannot imagine how I would feel if it had been my daughter, who I am very close to. Thinking about it, I've realized how many things could have happened differently in those few seconds, that would have changed her fate. I've been worrying excessively about her studying abroad in the near future and about all the things that could happen to my blonde-haired, blue-eyed, and sometimes naive daughter, in a foreign country. But I feel like, through this experience, God is reminding me that He is still in control---and always will be. He's showed me that anything can happen, at anytime, anywhere. May He be with this man's family and friends, especially during their time of great sorrow.
Not only did the pilot kill this guy, he went on in a press conferance to discuss his issues with having, "wrecked his plane and killed a man". The plane should not have been mentioned, seeing as a life of a father was lost. Horrible. This guy had no chance to even see it coming. No amount of money is going to replace the fact that on ST. Pat's day this family no longer has a part of it, something they will no doubt remember forever.
What a freak accident. I make no claims to being an aviation expert, but it seems like these small planes get in a disproportionate share of accidents. or perhaps when they crash it is more shocking, since there are usually fatalities?
MG:
I have Commercial, Multi-Engine, Instrument, Flight Instructor and Helicopter with over 3,000 hours. Now, what do you have? Nothing, I exect. Also, I expect the pilot that killed the man on the beach had very little flying experience.
ATP, over 6500 hours of flight time, mostly turbine, corporate pilot for over 23 years. Seen more than my share of accidents/incidents and as I asked before, "were you THERE"?????
Best just to keep asinine coments like yours to yourself.
freak accidents are one of the worst. however, if I sat in one place in fear rest of my life, I would probably get run over by a bicycle on one of less fearful days stepping outside finally.
@Pilot-You have no idea what the PIC saw or didn't or couldn't see. The jogger had earphones in, which prevents him having full situational awareness. It could have been a dune buggy or truck quad that killed him, all have happened on beaches.
And no, not all professional pilots agree with you. In fact, most would disagree. The decision to ditch on a long stretch of beach is safer than trying to make a runway surrounded by houses, schools, playgrounds, and streets. A beach, where everyone can see and avoid the disabled plane seems to be the least of evils. Are you suggesting the pilot auger into the trees and kill two rather than one?
Again, I reiterate, "STFU."
-ATP 6700hrs, CFII, 8 type ratings, 20yrs. pro pilot, 121,135,corporate experience. (I only mention because I know you're the type who'd attempt to disparage my cred.)
@Jody-The airplane was experimental, the ENGINE is a certified production engine. The homemade wing didn't fail, the factory-built engine did.
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