MAN JUMPS TO DEATH FROM PLANE OVER EL CAJON
(03-30-2004) - A suicidal 88-year-old man on a flight chartered by his son as a birthday present jumped to his death from a biplane despite efforts by the pilot to restrain him, authorities said.
The man, identified by the county Medical Examiner's office today as Joseph Harold Frost of Carlsbad, climbed out of the dual-wing plane as it flew near Gillespie Field airport in El Cajon about 4:45 p.m. Monday, according to investigators.
Frost's body was severed as he struck a power line and landed on the enclosed patio of an apartment complex in the 300 block of East Bradley Avenue, San Diego sheriff's spokesman Chris Saunders said.
The man's plunge through the utility lines caused power outages to about 4,000 customers in the neighborhood, authorities said.
Several witnesses watched the man fall to his death, but no one on the ground was injured by Frost, Saunders said.
Frost, who celebrated his 88th birthday two days ago, was recently diagnosed with a tumor that was causing him to go blind, authorities said. His son chartered the flight as a birthday gift, Saunders said.
After the 30-minute flight over East County, the Steerman PT 17 plane headed back to Gillespie Field, piloted by Willis Allen, owner of Allen Airways Flying Museum, Saunders said. That was when Frost stood up in the front seat of the open plane and tried to jump, he said.
Allen told authorities that he argued and struggled with Frost to pull him back inside the plane, and even pitched the plane's nose up to force him to sit down, Saunders said.
But Frost was determined and managed to jump when the plane was about a half-mile from the airport and about 300 to 400 feet above the ground, Saunders said. He was killed on impact, Saunders said.
Allen landed the plane safely and reported the incident to sheriff's officials based at the airport, Saunders said.
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(03-30-2004) - A suicidal 88-year-old man on a flight chartered by his son as a birthday present jumped to his death from a biplane despite efforts by the pilot to restrain him, authorities said.
The man, identified by the county Medical Examiner's office today as Joseph Harold Frost of Carlsbad, climbed out of the dual-wing plane as it flew near Gillespie Field airport in El Cajon about 4:45 p.m. Monday, according to investigators.
Frost's body was severed as he struck a power line and landed on the enclosed patio of an apartment complex in the 300 block of East Bradley Avenue, San Diego sheriff's spokesman Chris Saunders said.
The man's plunge through the utility lines caused power outages to about 4,000 customers in the neighborhood, authorities said.
Several witnesses watched the man fall to his death, but no one on the ground was injured by Frost, Saunders said.
Frost, who celebrated his 88th birthday two days ago, was recently diagnosed with a tumor that was causing him to go blind, authorities said. His son chartered the flight as a birthday gift, Saunders said.
After the 30-minute flight over East County, the Steerman PT 17 plane headed back to Gillespie Field, piloted by Willis Allen, owner of Allen Airways Flying Museum, Saunders said. That was when Frost stood up in the front seat of the open plane and tried to jump, he said.
Allen told authorities that he argued and struggled with Frost to pull him back inside the plane, and even pitched the plane's nose up to force him to sit down, Saunders said.
But Frost was determined and managed to jump when the plane was about a half-mile from the airport and about 300 to 400 feet above the ground, Saunders said. He was killed on impact, Saunders said.
Allen landed the plane safely and reported the incident to sheriff's officials based at the airport, Saunders said.
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