French Pilot Found Guilty of Manslaughter and Operating Aircraft Without Valid License
A shocking incident has rocked the skydiving community as a French pilot has been found guilty of manslaughter and operating an aircraft without a valid license. The pilot, who had previously served as the chief pilot at a local parachuting school, decapitated an experienced skydiver with the wing of his plane mere seconds after the skydiver jumped.
The victim, identified as Nicholas Galy, was a 40-year-old skydiver and an aeronautical engineer. This tragic event unfolded over the Bouloc-en-Quercy region, taking place while the plane carried Galy, another wingsuit flyer, and multiple parachutists. Galy was the last person to jump from the aircraft before disaster struck.
According to the court’s findings, there was a lack of communication between Galy and the pilot, contributing to the fatal incident. This lack of communication ultimately resulted in the catastrophic collision between Galy and the descending aircraft. It was revealed in court that Galy’s emergency parachute deployed in response to the imminent danger, but it was too late to save his life.
However, despite the evidence against him, the pilot vehemently defended himself in court, refuting any responsibility for Galy’s tragic death. The pilot argued that wingsuiters can pose a threat to the aircraft due to their different descent patterns, claiming that this discrepancy was the main cause of the collision.
The court, nevertheless, held the pilot accountable for his actions and handed down a suspended sentence of 12 months. Additionally, the pilot has been banned from flying for a year. Justice has also been served for Galy, albeit insufficiently for some, as the pilot’s suspended sentence and flight ban may seem lenient considering the grave consequences of his actions.
Furthermore, the parachuting school where the pilot had previously served as chief pilot was fined approximately $22,000. However, half of this fine was suspended, raising questions among the public about the severity of the penalty.
The incident itself was fully captured on camera by another wingsuit flyer, which proved instrumental in the investigation and subsequent courtroom proceedings. The harrowing footage left the spectators stunned as they witnessed the fatal moment unfold before their eyes.
This shocking incident serves as a grim reminder of the potential dangers of skydiving and the critical need for effective communication and coordination between pilots and skydivers. The tragedy of Nicholas Galy’s untimely death will forever be etched in the memories of all those who knew him, and it stands as a somber call for enhanced safety measures within the skydiving community.
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