Teen pilot attempting around the world flight dies in crash

Another recent teen tragedy:

Utah Brothers perish in Arizona mountains when small plane crashes | Mail Online

 

Sad story for the Teen and his Dad trying to fly around the world.

Haris Suleman, teen attempting world flight record, killed in plane crash | Fox News

An Indiana teenager who was attempting to set a record for an around-the-world flight was killed when his plane crashed in the Pacific Ocean, and crews were searching Wednesday for his father, who was also on board.

Family spokeswoman Annie Hayat said the plane flown by 17-year-old Haris Suleman went down shortly after leaving Pago Pago in American Samoa Tuesday night. Hayat said the body of Haris Suleman had been recovered, but crews were still looking for Babar Suleman.
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Very, very sad stories!

 

Used to participate in a pilot forum with the father. He had been through a lot in his life. Besides being the target for extremists in his native Pakistan, as in bullets whizzing past his head, he successfully completed a dead stick landing on I-70 a couple yrs ago (Piper product at that time). Always a very positive guy with a lot of (firsthand) knowledge of world events. RIP

 

Very sorry to hear about the loss of life, but every time I read one of these I am saddened by the obvious danger people will put themselves in to attempt one of these stunts.

I am reminded of the girls pilot in the Midwest some years ago - they attempted an overloaded takeoff into icing conditions as I recall. Sometimes setting these records that nobody remembers afterward and hardly worth the risk.

 

Babar by all accounts was a very professional pilot. At this time I see this as a very unfortunate accident likely due to mechanical failure at an inopportune time (i.e. immediately following TO over the water).

The young girl, 11yo IIRC, was attempting to TO as a TS was bearing down on the airport. I believe wind shear was the direct cause, although the decision by her instructor to attempt a hasty departure is ultimately to blame.

 

I understand that you were friends with the family in this last case - and I was not trying to specifically comment on the circumstances here: they are still under investigation.

My comment (which was not personalized in any way) was simply my own view that these "youngest pilot to solo, youngest pilot to cross the U.S., youngest pilot to fly around the world, and so on" are (in my own opinion) not worth the loss of life that has been recorded.

Not that there is anything wrong with letting teenagers get some airplane experience - I got my private ticket when I was 17, started lessons when I was 16.

What I am saying is that with these record attempts there is often too much desire and pressure to fly into bad or even impossible conditions just out of desire to make the record.

 

Agree 100%.

 

Yes..to much risk for a record...roughly 2600 miles from Pago Pago to HNL..heavy loaded plane, lots of risk..
I still remember watching a sister squadron P-3 clip a tram line there and crash into a hotel during an air show after dropping off skydivers...Ive never been back..

 

50,000 Americans will be killed in their cars this year. More than have ever died in the history of aviation. Try to keep it in perspective folks.

Aviation crashes make the news because they're a lot more interesting than car crashes.

The title of this thread is misleading. Babar AND his son we're flying around the world together.... for fun. Not a "record setting" attempt. This teen wasn't flying a lone.

 

Jason- No, the numbers are way down (~33,500 2012), but get your point. Last year with 50,000 fatalities was 1980.

They had already missed their record attempt because of other delays. On this one it seems like a successful ditching could have been made, but nobody will likely know exactly what happened. I am sure they practiced ditching with all the over-water they were doing. A shame.

Trying to make it back to the field, instead of descending straight ahead when heavy, has killed many a pilot.

 

Sorry if I got that wrong, but the Fox link above says "attempting world flight record".

 

Ok, well 300K will die from heart disease. 10 from "falling toilets". Point is, everyone loves an airplane crash and will always make silly comment about how "dangerous flying is" blah blah. Eating cheese is more dangerous but nobody ever talks about it.

 

I think the point is that if it were not for the prospect of setting a record, the duo probably would have engaged in other flying adventures for fun that were not quite as risky. They may have already lost the opportunity to set the record, but I'm sure they still felt the world's eyes were watching them and this may have encouraged them to take risks they otherwise would not have. You want to fly around the world? No problem, take your time and be safe. You want to fly around the world with lots of publicity and your performance being judged by the world? Well there comes the problem and the increased pressure to take on risk.

 

Some posting and pics here.. https://www.facebook.com/AviationEgypt?fref=ts

 

Uh yeah... How many hours per year do Americans spend in a car? Now how many hours per year do Americans spend in small aircraft? There ya go. Pretty simple concept. I don't understand how this argument even exists.

 

I spend 300+ hours a year in my aircraft. A lot more than in car.

That's not the point though...... The point is, there are a million things in life that are going to kill you before an airplane does. Why DOES this argument exist? I don't get it either.

 

Statistically, flying private aircraft has about the same mortality rate as riding motorcycles. Thats just it though, its a statistic. The "safeness" of the activity can be greatly increased with a competent, trained pilot and a well maintained aircraft.

 

It's not cars or motorcycles v. airplanes. It's airplanes v. life in general. Many things are going to kill you before an airplane does.

I don't care if flying were 5X more dangerous than it is. The lifestyle is too awesome. I could never go back to being a passenger standing in line.

 

Yup.

I think if you take night time and bad weather out of the equation you have to try and kill yourself in your airplane.