More Details Released In North Carolina Plane Death Of Ex-Fairfielder

FAIRFIELD, CT — In a preliminary report from the National Transportation and Safety Board, former Fairfield resident Charlie Crooks may have been ill when he fell from a plane mid-flight on July 29 and died. See the report below.

Additionally, Crooks, who was the second-in-command co-pilot in the plane, was also described as appearing to be "visibly upset" before he fell out of the twin-engine CASA CN-212 Aviocar in the skies above Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina.

Initial media reports said that Crooks jumped out of the plane, but then it was said that he fell while checking on damaged landing gear. Crooks was flying the plane when it dropped from the sky, hit the runway and damaged the landing gear before ascending again.

The preliminary report from NTSB said that the pilot-in-command then took over the controls from Crooks, who appeared to be upset. Crooks then opened his side cockpit window and possibly threw up, before retreating to the rear of the plane, where he opened its ramp in the back to get some air.

He then apologized and left the plane without a parachute, according to the report.

The pilot-in-command was able to make an emergency landing after first circling back to try to see what happened to Crooks, whose body was found in the backyard of a home in Fuquay-Varina. The town is about 18 miles from Raleigh, NC.

Services were held for Crooks, 23, in Westport over the weekend. He is survived by his family in Fairfield, and his extended family.

NTSB Preliminary Report by Ellyn Santiago