Last week a close friend and crop duster died as a result of injuries
when he experienced an engine failure after takeoff. He put it down
just fine, tore off the tailwheel and the gear stuck into the mud
causing an extreme short field stop. the gear was bent back under the
tail area, his seat belt and shoulder harness failed and he suffered
major crush injuries to his chest and abdomen. He was able to exit the
aircraft, walked around for a couple of minutes, talked to some of the
crew, said he didn't feel so good, then collapsed and died of internal
bleeding right there.
I helped him get his first ag seat about 10 years ago flying an Ag Cat
with the company I flew for. Then I helped him get his first turbine
seat some 5-6 years later. When I talked to him shortly before he died,
he told me he now had about 6,000 hours of good time logged and life
was good.
Gonna miss him and so will many who knew Big John Shanahan Ceres, CA.
RIP my brother
a saddened Ol Shy & Bashful