Jump Related Accident at Deland, FL

I remember this accident being discussed here a while back and if I'm really
late to the party on this (the probable cause, that is) sorry...

Just noticed this paragraph in a recent AvFlash from AvWeb:

--------------

Pilot William Buchmann and skydiver Albert Wing were known to indulge in
games of "chicken," local police have told the FAA. Wing was killed in
April when Buchmann, who was flying the jump plane, collided with him near
the Deland, Fla., airport. Buchmann's certificate was revoked by the FAA
in August. The FAA said he flew in a "grossly careless or reckless
manner," knowingly flying beneath the open parachutes of skydivers. "Such
conduct reflects an airman who is either unwilling or unable to comply
with basic regulatory requirements governing flight operations," said the
FAA. Buchmann has appealed the revocation, and local skydivers and pilots
have told reporters that Buchmann was not reckless and that Wing's death
was an accident. "Bill Buchmann has the overwhelming support of the
aviation and parachute communities. We have had literally hundreds of
letters of support," Buchmann's lawyer, Patrick Phillips, told The
Sun-Sentinel. According to the NTSB, the de Havilland DHC-6 was about
13,500 feet above ground level when 14 parachutists were released for the
skydive over the Deland airport. Wing was descending toward the center of
the field and was at about 600 feet AGL when the airplane, which was on a
left downwind approach for Runway 30, collided with him.

---------------

Jay B

Pilot William Buchmann and skydiver Albert Wing were known to indulge in
games of "chicken," local police have told the FAA. Wing was killed in
April when Buchmann, who was flying the jump plane, collided with him

I was refraining from commenting on this, because of my previous posts about
flying into Deland.

In some ways it would make me feel better if this incident was less an
"accident", and more just plain stupidity on the part of the pilot and
jumper.

Still, having flown into Deland when there were literally dozens of jumpers
in the air, and jump planes diving into the pattern in front of us, I can't
help but think that this kind of accident was inevitable, given the
intensive nature of the parachuting that occurs there.

No matter how you look at it, the whole thing was a nasty shame. I wonder
how it's affected their business?
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

In article 9iK7f.477509$_o.415424@attbi_s71,
"Jay Honeck" wrote:



No matter how you look at it, the whole thing was a nasty shame. I wonder
how it's affected their business?

Not at all.

--
Dale L. Falk

There is nothing - absolutely nothing - half so much worth doing
as simply messing around with airplanes.

http://home.gci.net/~sncdfalk/flying.html

If anything, the jump community is rallying around the pilot in support.

Dave

Dale wrote:
In article 9iK7f.477509$_o.415424@attbi_s71,
"Jay Honeck" wrote:



No matter how you look at it, the whole thing was a nasty shame. I wonder
how it's affected their business?


Not at all.

If anything, the jump community is rallying around the pilot in support.

Yeah, I read that.

That reaction seems counter-intuitive, given what happened. Can anyone cast
any light on this situation?
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Both the pilot and the deceased were long time, well-liked members of
the community. They were both friends of each other, and mentors to many.

If anything, I see the Skydiving community as a family.. or an army (if
you will) that is closing ranks and considers this a tragic accident,
and not a criminal act. I read some of the Dropzone forums in the
aftermath of the event, and came away with the impression that the
community is fairly tight knit, particularly at the higher levels of
accomplishment or achievement.

Dave

Jay Honeck wrote:
If anything, the jump community is rallying around the pilot in support.


Yeah, I read that.

That reaction seems counter-intuitive, given what happened. Can anyone cast
any light on this situation?

Then again, the statement that these guys were "always playing chicken"
could be a concoction. Some onlooker sees the jump plane diving down, after
a drop, and makes the assumption that the pilot is trying to narrowly miss
the jumper.
My guess is, if it occurred which I doubt, the game of chicken would be
decidedly one-sided, since the parachutist is only going down and the pilot
would have to, more or less, be pointing his aircraft at the jumper.
As we all know, stories like this titillate the non-piloting public and it
sells newspapers, especially if on the front page and folks can see the
headline in a newspaper kiosk.

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
news:uqT7f.473096$x96.351801@attbi_s72...
If anything, the jump community is rallying around the pilot in support.

Yeah, I read that.

That reaction seems counter-intuitive, given what happened. Can anyone
cast any light on this situation?
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"