Man jumps from helicopter at Grand Canyon

[stevedeshazer]

PHOENIX -- A man aboard a sightseeing helicopter took off his seat belt, opened a door and jumped to his death in Grand Canyon National Park in an apparent suicide, officials said.

The company operating the helicopter said the passenger removed his seat belt during the flight Thursday and leaped out.

Park officials offered few details on what led to the man's death, saying only that they believe he acted intentionally. The incident was still under investigation.

The Federal Aviation Administration will not participate in the investigation because the Papillon Airways pilot tried to restrain the man, said FAA spokesman Mike Fergus.

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/apus_story.asp?category=1110&slug=Helicopter%20Death
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:wtf:

[Career Prole]

1. Precipitated by the Reagan coverage, no doubt.

It almost got me, too.

[Bunny]

4. ***snarf****

Good one! I'm driven to distraction myself!

Although I am sorry that the man died. That's really no laughing matter.

[Career Prole]

5. I know, I know...

But like my brother said in an aside at our Dad's wake, "What the hell's everyone hangin' around for? Just work the receiving line, mutter 'Sorry for your loss...', say your Hail Mary and hit the road! I wanna get drunk!" :D I had to agree with him. :toast:

[Fridays Child]

2. Little known FAA Rule: When helicopter pilots working for companies...

...whose names begin with "P" attempt to restrain suicidal male passengers from leaping to their deaths into canyons whose names begin with "G," investigations thereof will not be conducted.

[Bonhomme Richard]

3. I heard the pilot was playing the Reagan..................

funeral over the aircrafts radio and the poor guy couldn't take it anymore.

[AtTheEndOfTheDay]

6. The FAA

only investigates jumpers when no attempt at restraining them has occurred? Oh, of course, that's perfectly logical.

[zbdent]

7. This company wouldn't happen to be owned by Scaife

and the guy wouldn't happen to be somebody who said nasty things about the company, then graciously decided to take a flight just to commit suicide, eh?

[0007]

8. I wonder if the guy had second thoughts after he jumped?

[expatriot]

9. wow... this is a cool view... i should camp over there tonight... oh fu...