Stowaway falls from sky [Warning: This a horrible accident]

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The tragic incident involving a stowaway occurred when a body was ripped apart during a flight, with a severed leg landing in a suburban neighborhood in Floral Park, N.Y. Witness Pam Hearne discovered the leg, which had damaged her garage roof before falling into her yard. Discussions revealed that stowaways face extreme risks, including freezing temperatures and lack of oxygen at high altitudes, leading to unconsciousness or death before falling. Historical context was provided, noting that stowaway attempts were more common in the 1970s, with varying degrees of success and tragic outcomes.

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FLORAL PARK, N.Y. -- The body of an apparent stowaway was ripped in half during flight Tuesday and his leg crashed into a suburban neighborhood, where a homeowner found the severed limb in the middle of her lawn, authorities said.

Pam Hearne heard "a loud crash" and later was stunned to see a foot clad in an Adidas sneaker and a sock in her yard, said Officer Thomas Blanchard. The leg, with hip and spine attached, dented the shingled roof of her garage before bouncing into the lawn. [continued]
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/06/07/AR2005060701545.html
 
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Physics news on Phys.org
DELAND, Fla., April 24 (UPI) -- A sky diver died in DeLand, Fla., during the weekend after the wing of the airplane from which he jumped sheared off both of his legs below his knees.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/upi/?feed=TopNews&article=UPI-1-20050424-08420600-bc-us-skydiver.xml
 
That idea of a stowaway hiding in an airplane wheel well and then falling to his death when the wheels were deployed was already used in some novel I read--might have been by Spider Robinson.
 
BicycleTree said:
That idea of a stowaway hiding in an airplane wheel well and then falling to his death when the wheels were deployed was already used in some novel I read--might have been by Spider Robinson.
Whether or not the novelist anticipated reality, it has actually happened a few times, along with them freezing to death or croaking from anoxia. In at least one other case, the guy was crunched when the gear was initially retracted. I will or will not feel sympathy dependent upon the reason for stowing away in the first place.
 
I can't seem to read the original story. Every time I go to that site, my browser crashes for some reason. :confused:
 
Back in the 70's it was a trend, a lot of people tried it. A few even made it.
 
Moonbear said:
I can't seem to read the original story. Every time I go to that site, my browser crashes for some reason. :confused:

That happened to me the first time as well. Here is another link.
http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/nation/3216477

I also remember several episodes like this from the 70's, but this is the first that I recall hearing about for a very long time.
 
What a horrible way to die; no one deserves such a fate, even if the accident is their own fault (as in this case).
 
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Ivan Seeking said:
That happened to me the first time as well. Here is another link.
http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/nation/3216477

I also remember several episodes like this from the 70's, but this is the first that I recall hearing about for a very long time.
I think I was better off not being able to read it. Gruesome.

That someone managed to stow away at all makes me question what sort of security there is for flights entering the U.S. from those airports.
 
  • #10
when I see stories like this it makes me homesick for Long Island. Stuff like that just doesn't seem to happen anywhere else.
 
  • #11
FredGarvin said:
when I see stories like this it makes me homesick for Long Island. Stuff like that just doesn't seem to happen anywhere else.
:smile: Yeah, compared to coastal living, the rest of the country is pretty boring. Though, I could do without body parts landing on my house.
 
  • #12
I'll be heading for the east coast next month, if I find anybody parts I can mail them to ya..most of my friends just get a tee shirt.
 
  • #13
Funny how some of us can jest about the gruesome death of others...
 
  • #14
I feel sorrier, for the lady who found the body part then I do for the guy that died. I don't mean to imply that its not sad when someone looses there life in a act of stupidity, it is. But I'm not upset over it.
 
  • #15
hypatia said:
. But I'm not upset over it.
You ought to be, if excruciating physical pain is something that upsets you.
 
  • #16
People dieing because they took a risk and lost..sorry no.
 
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  • #17
Sorry if I offended anyone in any way.
 
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  • #18
Sorry if I came off more touchy than I should on this issue; I have a particular horror of being ripped apart alive (I don't know why), so I empathize quite strongly for anyone who suffers such a fate (even for one as incredibly stupid/desperate as to hide as a stowaway in a plane)
 
  • #19
Understood...{gives big hug} I'm sorry too
 
  • #20
Thank you.

I've noticed that when people discuss macabre incidents like this, quarrels and sudden recriminations may suddenly flare up over a mere choice of word, and precisely because the issue is so laden with emotional content, a particular word or phrase becomes over-and mis-interpreted very easily and all sorts of base motives are flung upon the poor speaker (in this case you).

I know I flared up like that in this case, unfortunately. I'm glad we cleared it out.
 
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  • #21
It would have been traumatizing for anyone to find body parts in their yard like this woman did. Perhaps the person torn apart during the flight was unaware of the risk to his or her life.
 
  • #22
Kerrie said:
Perhaps the person torn apart during the flight was unaware of the risk to his or her life.
Do you think?
 
  • #23
Even if the stow away avoided being crushed by the wheel, he'd have to overcome some serious problems. I don't think the wheel well is pressurized. It'd be incredibly cold at 30,000+ feet and there wouldn't be much oxygen. Even if he survived the cold and maintained conciousness in spite of the thin air, he'd have to be clever enough to avoid falling out of the wheel well when the plane approached the airport.

Imagine surviving all of that, dropping out of the wheel well after the plane slowed down, escaping airport security, slipping into the city and finding out everyone in 'America' spoke French. Darn no-fly watchlists!
 
  • #24
hypatia said:
Back in the 70's it was a trend, a lot of people tried it. A few even made it.
The last couple that I heard of were escaping Rawanda, so in some cases the risk might be worth it. Those are the type that I felt sympathy for, not fleeing criminals or goofs who thought that they could snag a free ride and miss Customs.
 
  • #25
BobG said:
I don't think the wheel well is pressurized. It'd be incredibly cold at 30,000+ feet and there wouldn't be much oxygen. Even if he survived the cold and maintained conciousness in spite of the thin air, he'd have to be clever enough to avoid falling out of the wheel well when the plane approached the airport.

I would guess it's pretty unlikely he was even still alive by the time he was ripped apart. Probably rendered unconscious by the thin air and cold shortly after reaching altitude. Don't know if he'd have asphyxiated or frozen to death first, but probably one or the other got him long before he reached anywhere near the US.
 
  • #26
Personally, while this is gruesome way to die, the one that has always bothered me more was the woman who arranged with her husband to stow away in a suitcase.

Unfortunately, the luggage they used was a soft-sided suitcase. She suffocated from being squashed under hundreds of pounds of other pieces of luggage. A slow, painful and lonely way to die.
 
  • #27
DaveC426913 said:
Personally, while this is gruesome way to die, the one that has always bothered me more was the woman who arranged with her husband to stow away in a suitcase.

Unfortunately, the luggage they used was a soft-sided suitcase. She suffocated from being squashed under hundreds of pounds of other pieces of luggage. A slow, painful and lonely way to die.
Probably got the idea from the woman that was smuggled out of East Berlin in a trunk.
 
  • #28
Evo said:
Probably got the idea from the woman that was smuggled out of East Berlin in a trunk.
West German Customs didn't inspect elephants entering the country? :confused:
 
  • #29
arildno said:
I've noticed that when people discuss macabre incidents like this, quarrels and sudden recriminations may suddenly flare up over a mere choice of word, and precisely because the issue is so laden with emotional content, a particular word or phrase becomes over-and mis-interpreted very easily and all sorts of base motives are flung upon the poor speaker (in this case you).

And then there's gallows humor. You never know why someone responds as they do. An inappropriate joke may actually be an indication of a painful memory. A good example of this is hospital humor. There are standard hospital jokes and references that would shock anyone who's not familiar with what happens. But the ER, CCU etc can be gut wrenching, horrible places to work. The pain and suffering can be staggering at times; esp at a county hospital like USC med center in LA [also General Hospital for our soap fans]. They see the worst of the worst every day. The same was true for MLK hospital in Watts, California. Stabbings, shootings, and open heart message are a daily occurrence. [Well, were, actually; I recently heard that the trauma center was forced to close which is basically a disaster for the ghetto communities surrounding the hospital]. On a more personal note, Tsu once had to assist with open heart message done on a woman who, while in her wedding dress, on her anniversay I think, stabbed herself in the chest with a letter opener. Of course this is a tragedy for the poor woman and her family, but for Tsu...talk about a bad day at work! Is it any wonder that a pressure relief valve is needed? And that's assuming that you don't just stop caring because its too painful.
 
  • #30
I don't think it is possible to survive mentally as a nurse or doctor without a good portion of gallows humour. In some ways, I would think you have to cope with, for example, the sheer futility of your best efforts at times.

I have the deepest admiration for everyone working in health care, from porters and upwards on the salary ladder. I know I couldn't cope with what they are facing on a daily basis.