Family Hears Strange Noise in Backyard as Co-Pilot Falls or Jumps to His Death and Lands in Tree

A family heard a strange noise in their backyard as a co-pilot fell or jumped to his death and landed in their tree. Before the aircraft made an emergency landing, the co-pilot exited the plane in North Carolina.

Charles Hew Crooks, 23, was not wearing a parachute when he landed and was discovered in a backyard in the town of Fuquay-Varina. This Raleigh suburb is about 30 miles south of the Raleigh-Durham International Airport.

The family said they heard a thud outside but did not see anything unusual, they told WRAL News. Examining the crash, several law enforcement officers were searching their street as the investigation continued.

According to WRAL News, lodged in the tree in the backyard, Crooks was found by authorities.

The pilot reported that one of his wheels had fallen off, and he was able to make an emergency landing at the airport Friday afternoon. He suffered minor injuries and was treated and released from care.

The pilot was the only person left aboard the defective aircraft when the plane landed.

The crash is under investigation by local, state, and federal authorities, the Federal Aviation Administration, and the National Transportation Safety Board.