Fatal UND aerospace accident

[WiSioux]

https://www.kvrr.com/2021/10/19/und-student-pilot-dead-in-crash-near-buxton-north-dakota/

Unfortunately last night one of the UND Aerospace students died during a solo training flight. Condolences to the friends and family of John Hauser.

 

I don't believe UND has had a fatal accident since I attended school in the mid 2000s.  That was also a night flight and maybe a little later in the year but the probable cause was loss of flight controls due to hitting a flock of geese.  

[stoneySIOUX]

29 minutes ago, WiSioux said:

https://www.kvrr.com/2021/10/19/und-student-pilot-dead-in-crash-near-buxton-north-dakota/

Unfortunately last night one of the UND Aerospace students died during a solo training flight. Condolences to the friends and family of John Hauser.

 

I don't believe UND has had a fatal accident since I attended school in the mid 2000s.  That was also a night flight and maybe a little later in the year but the probable cause was loss of flight controls due to hitting a flock of geese.  

Terrible news.

[JohnboyND7]

Very sad. I'm a super anxious flyer so I am always impressed some people are willing to actually fly the thing.

[BigGreyAnt41]

56 minutes ago, WiSioux said:

https://www.kvrr.com/2021/10/19/und-student-pilot-dead-in-crash-near-buxton-north-dakota/

Unfortunately last night one of the UND Aerospace students died during a solo training flight. Condolences to the friends and family of John Hauser.

 

I don't believe UND has had a fatal accident since I attended school in the mid 2000s.  That was also a night flight and maybe a little later in the year but the probable cause was loss of flight controls due to hitting a flock of geese.  

Very sad news. 

2007 is the year that I heard.  Think of how many thousands (tens of thousands?) of flight hours out of UND in the last 14 years and to have no fatal accidents until now.  That's a pretty darn good safety record.  No consolation for the Hauser family and friends, though.

EDIT:  Turns out it's over 100,000 flight hours PER YEAR!  FY2021 set a new school record of 126,000 flight hours.  That's more than 1.4 million flight hours in the last 14 years.  

[SIOUXFAN97]

how often do students do solo flights...is it based on hours or what is the criteria?

[Shawn-O]

Bird strike, wrong place at the wrong time.  Just awful news.  Condolences to his family and friends.  

[Sodbuster]

I was sitting in my backyard at 5:00 yesterday afternoon and there was 1 or 2 UND planes coming over about every 10 minutes. They practice touch and goes at the Mayville airport almost daily and their loop takes them over my house. Maybe one of those? 

[BigGreyAnt41]

17 minutes ago, SIOUXFAN97 said:

how often do students do solo flights...is it based on hours or what is the criteria?

Grand Forks Herald reported he's a sophomore, so likely already a licensed Private Pilot.

[WiSioux]

47 minutes ago, SIOUXFAN97 said:

how often do students do solo flights...is it based on hours or what is the criteria?

Multiple times per course, including as a student pilot before getting your private pilot license. @Vegas_Siouxmay know better

[Vegas_Sioux]

1 hour ago, SIOUXFAN97 said:

how often do students do solo flights...is it based on hours or what is the criteria?

Without knowing what is in the current Training Completion Binder I won’t put a guaranteed number. But when I went through needed 10 hours of solo each course section plus 10 total night towered landings. In addition to any FAA minimums that are required. I hope his family and friends and classmates know they can turn to UND for help they may need.  To his flying classmates don’t be scared to seek out any help doc Jensen always has his door open. 

[Siouxperfan7]

'He felt trapped': Parents of UND student killed in plane crash push for more mental health help for pilots

https://www.grandforksherald.com/newsmd/he-felt-trapped-parents-of-und-student-killed-in-plane-crash-push-for-more-mental-health-help-for-pilots

 

Sad new details about this crash.  A reminder to everyone to please seek help if you are experiencing depression.  

[#33]

So sad. I believe this is the second time someone has committed suicide while flying a UND Aerospace airplane.  Last one happened in Rapid City during the fall of 2000 while flying a Seminole.  He mailed letters to his family and friends while walking out to the airplane.

[WiSioux]

Unfortunately the FAA is not going to change any time soon. And that goes for pilots and controllers alike.  Seeking treatment for, being diagnosed with,  and/or being medicated for mental illness will result in the loss of your medical certificate, at least temporarily and will render you unable to work.  It is a long and expensive process to try and get your medical back with no guarantee of success. 

[Vegas_Sioux]

https://www.inforum.com/news/flight-for-change-und-working-with-faa-to-get-pilots-mental-health-help-following-sophomore-pilots-suicide
 

ways to go but more movement in years