2 More Lost Today

Jay Honeck

Jay Honeck

Touchdown! Greaser!
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Ingleside, TX
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Jay Honeck
More sad news to report. Two 19 year old kids flying a '47 Champ were killed today. We don't know what happened, yet, but the plane crashed on the shore of Corpus Christi Bay in Portland, TX. That's about 9 nm across the bay from us.

We know who they are, but their identities have not been released publicly yet. Suffice it to say that they were known and well-liked in our aviation community. More on that later.

:(

http://www.kiiitv.com/story/29475700/faa-to-investigate-fatal-crash-in-portland
 
Shoot. More fodder for the nimby crowd.
 
RIP

I'm going to speculate though I shouldn't.

Two 19 year olds, 4th of July, a beach, ..... maybe a buzzing thing or a "watch this" deal...
 
May they rest in peace.
 
txflyer said:
RIP

I'm going to speculate though I shouldn't.

Two 19 year olds, 4th of July, a beach, ..... maybe a buzzing thing or a "watch this" deal...
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From the eye witness reports in the article Jay posted, it kind of sounds that way. RIP.
 
Brad Z said:
From the eye witness reports in the article Jay posted, it kind of sounds that way. RIP.
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My heart goes out to the parents. I simply can't imagine what they are going through right now.
:(
 
Damn, that sucks.

Stay safe out there guys.
 
Unfortunately in this safe and coddled world we currently have too many young people grow up to have the judgement skills of a 5 year old in a 20 something body. In this case we noticed it on this forum because it involves an airplane. The large number of SeaDoo crashes, car crashes, boat crashes, bike crashes, and on and on that occurred in the same time period for the same basic reasons escapes our notice.
I concur with the group that this is a tragedy.
 
Dr. O said:
Unfortunately in this safe and coddled world we currently have too many young people grow up to have the judgement skills of a 5 year old in a 20 something body. In this case we noticed it on this forum because it involves an airplane. The large number of SeaDoo crashes, car crashes, boat crashes, bike crashes, and on and on that occurred in the same time period for the same basic reasons escapes our notice.
I concur with the group that this is a tragedy.
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I'm pretty sure bad judgement at 19 didn't start with the current generation of 19yos. The only difference is they now have the tools to fully document it and post it on YouTube.

Either way, we still don't know what happened, and a lot of people are grieving over this one. 19 years is indeed way too young.
 
Dr. O said:
Unfortunately in this safe and coddled world we currently have too many young people grow up to have the judgement skills of a 5 year old in a 20 something body. In this case we noticed it on this forum because it involves an airplane. The large number of SeaDoo crashes, car crashes, boat crashes, bike crashes, and on and on that occurred in the same time period for the same basic reasons escapes our notice.
I concur with the group that this is a tragedy.
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Yeah, better judgement would have put them on a couch playing video games.

Nineteen old kids hold the front lines for a reason. The trick is getting past 27 with the experiences that build the judgement that can keep your butt intact.
 
Bill Watson said:
Yeah, better judgement would have put them on a couch playing video games.

Nineteen old kids hold the front lines for a reason. The trick is getting past 27 with the experiences that build the judgement that can keep your butt intact.
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True that.

The names have still not been officially released. The pilot was a friend of a friend, due to start working for him next week. Everyone is devastated.

There's no official word on what happened, but the young man had recently posted a video on his FB page showing him and a buddy flying low over the houses in the area he crashed. He and the girl reportedly knew people at the country club.

:(
 
Very sorry to hear it. Sad enough when the pilot has lived a long and full life. So unfortunate when they're that young. Prayers to the families and friends.
 
Brad Z said:
From the eye witness reports in the article Jay posted, it kind of sounds that way. RIP.
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Eyewitnesses are notoriously unreliable in any context, and especially when it comes to aviation or judging attitude, altitude, airspeed and engine sounds. These folks especially seem like the NIMBY types who dislike aviation to begin with.
 
Brad Z said:
I'm pretty sure bad judgement at 19 didn't start with the current generation of 19yos. The only difference is they now have the tools to fully document it and post it on YouTube.

Either way, we still don't know what happened, and a lot of people are grieving over this one. 19 years is indeed way too young.
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Very well said!
 
Three young people this age, just graduated from high school , were killed two , three nights ago when the car they were riding in went off the road near D.C. With the fourth surviving. One was a football star. Happens quite often. Airplane gets a lot more attention. Witnesses reported the same plane had appeared not long before, flying very low. It had a very easily distinguishable paint job so this could be true.
 
Jimmy cooper said:
Three young people this age, just graduated from high school , were killed two , three nights ago when the car they were riding in went off the road near D.C. With the fourth surviving. One was a football star. Happens quite often. Airplane gets a lot more attention. Witnesses reported the same plane had appeared not long before, flying very low. It had a very easily distinguishable paint job so this could be true.
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The young lad recently posted a video of him and a buddy buzzing this same area. Argh.

It's so frustrating when something like this happens. Two bright young people cut down too soon.
:(
 
Jay, just curious, the last link you posted indicated a 28 year old pilot with gf of 27?
 
Teenagers manage to kill themselves with striking regularity. Something like this was first thing I though of when I saw "Two 19-year olds..." Maybe the lesson will get through and save someone though. Condolences to family.
 
Very sad news.

Aviation in general is very unforgiving. A host of things can kill you, from stupidity to being even a tiny bit distracted. Whatever the reason, young lives lost is always sad.
 
KeithASanford said:
Very sad news.

Aviation in general is very unforgiving. A host of things can kill you, from stupidity to being even a tiny bit distracted.
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9437357014_17fcef4778_z.jpg
 
SbestCFII said:
Teenagers manage to kill themselves with striking regularity. Something like this was first thing I though of when I saw "Two 19-year olds..." Maybe the lesson will get through and save someone though. Condolences to family.
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Yes, but according to the latest article with names released, these were not teenagers.
 
woodchucker said:
Jay, just curious, the last link you posted indicated a 28 year old pilot with gf of 27?
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Yeah, it seems they have revised the ages upward.

The victim was "a friend of a friend" whom I did not personally know well. Initially I was told they were 19, and (as I approach my dotage) that seemed to match what I knew.

Bottom line: Everyone looks like a kid to me nowadays.
 
Hmmm, curiouser and curiouser...

I hope it turns out to be an aircraft failure of some sort instead of the dumbassery I suspect.

When I teach a first jump course for new skydivers I emphasize that skydiving is statistically safe, however is very intolerant of mistakes and lapses of judgement. Some of the kids that take the FJC are looking for a carnival ride and that simply isnt the case. I try to weed those guys out before they weed themselves out.
 
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JCranford said:
Hmmm, curiouser and curiouser...

I hope it turns out to be an aircraft failure of some sort instead of the dumbassery I suspect.

When I teach a first jump course for new skydivers I emphasize that skydiving is statistically safe, however is very intolerant of mistakes and lapses of judgement. Some of the kids that take the FJC are looking for a carnival ride and that simply isnt the case. I try to weed those guys out before they weed themselves out.
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I always hope the crashes are due to dumbassery.
I can mitigate dumbassedness w/ meticulous routines.

I can't mitigate the wing snapping off.
 
SixPapaCharlie said:
I always hope the crashes are due to dumbassery.
I can mitigate dumbassedness w/ meticulous routines.

I can't mitigate the wing snapping off.
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Fortunately, there are a lot more crashes due to dumbassery than airframe failure, so the odds are in your favor.
 
SixPapaCharlie said:
I always hope the crashes are due to dumbassery.
I can mitigate dumbassedness w/ meticulous routines.

I can't mitigate the wing snapping off.
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Ya, I suppose thats another way to look at it, but you have to live thru the initial dumbassery long enough to learn from it. Sucks either way
 
JCranford said:
Ya, I suppose thats another way to look at it, but you have to live thru the initial dumbassery long enough to learn from it. Sucks either way
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Being the youngest of ten kids...seven of us boys...I got witness a lot of dumbassey and learn from it instead of being required to commit it myself.

And, boy, did I witness a lot!

Committed quite a bit too, unfortunately! :)
 
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