UM Recruit, Sad but True

[BD80]

Sad news about a Michigan BBall recruit critically injured in a plane crash:

"Austin Hatch suffered a serious head injury, a punctured lung and fractures to his ribs and collarbone," but the prognosis is good as they are bringing him out of a medically induced coma. His father, the pilot, died, as did his father's wife. It appears the crash was due to pilot error.

From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/article/20110702/SPORTS0201/107020390/Report--Austin-Hatch’s-father-attempted-instrument-approach-before-crash#ixzz1R05we9bS

The strange part:

"[Austin] and his father also survived a 2003 plane crash near Fort Wayne that killed the boy's mother, a sister and a brother. "

The father was found partially responsible for the deaths:

http://www.justicenewsflash.com/2011/06/29/plane-crash-survivor-killed-in-second-crash_201106297882.html

If you had already survived a plane crash that claimed the life of immediate family members, why on earth would you go back up in a private plane? With the same pilot?

How could you ever trust yourself to fly a plane with your son and wife as passengers if you had already killed your prior wife and two children?

[Newton_14]

Sad news about a Michigan BBall recruit critically injured in a plane crash:

"Austin Hatch suffered a serious head injury, a punctured lung and fractures to his ribs and collarbone," but the prognosis is good as they are bringing him out of a medically induced coma. His father, the pilot, died, as did his father's wife. It appears the crash was due to pilot error.

From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/article/20110702/SPORTS0201/107020390/Report--Austin-Hatch’s-father-attempted-instrument-approach-before-crash#ixzz1R05we9bS

The strange part:

"[Austin] and his father also survived a 2003 plane crash near Fort Wayne that killed the boy's mother, a sister and a brother. "

The father was found partially responsible for the deaths:

http://www.justicenewsflash.com/2011/06/29/plane-crash-survivor-killed-in-second-crash_201106297882.html

If you had already survived a plane crash that claimed the life of immediate family members, why on earth would you go back up in a private plane? With the same pilot?

How could you ever trust yourself to fly a plane with your son and wife as passengers if you had already killed your prior wife and two children?

I saw this last weekend. Very sad. I agree with your thoughts on continuing to fly. It appears it was pilot error in both crashes. They were also flying to and from the same locations in both crashes. In one crash they crashed on the return trip, and in the other one they crashed on the initial trip. It was a vacation home they flew to each year.

I hope the kid can recover enough to play basketball again. Emotionally he will be scarred for a long time, perhaps forever. I can;t even imagine the emotional pain of losing your entire family in 2 different accidents, yet you somehow survive both times.

[Greg_Newton]

If you had already survived a plane crash that claimed the life of immediate family members, why on earth would you go back up in a private plane? With the same pilot?

How could you ever trust yourself to fly a plane with your son and wife as passengers if you had already killed your prior wife and two children?

Seriously... well, I mean, it's not just "the same pilot", it's your dad. Your second question is the big one to me; how could the father do that?

That's got to be the hardest part to deal with if he survives, god-willing. You obviously love and miss your father, but... wow.

[DukeGirl4ever]

I saw this as well and was heart broken. I also saw posted online somewhere that the family dog survived the plane crash along with Austin.
Found it: http://articles.petoskeynews.com/2011-06-27/plane-crash_29710891

Such a sad story....I won't get in the the "should haves/have nots" but I know I won't even think of flying after 9/11. Planes scare the crap out of me!

EDIT - Ok, I am just now reading the 2nd link posted by BD80 and saw the info about the dog! I really need to pay more attention!
In any case, I hope Austin is able to make some sense of this tragedy and do something positive with his life. I am a firm believer that he survived 2 crashes for a reason - he must have good work to do here on Earth!

[scottdude8]

Just to clarify, its UofM... I thought this post was about Miami.
But as a Michigan fan this is of course heartbreaking, especially since the crash took place near the town I've spent many a fond summer vacation in.

[weezie]

How could you ever trust yourself to fly a plane with your son and wife as passengers if you had already killed your prior wife and two children?

I would love to hear from any pilots here who might have insight into why this father/pilot did what he did. Or maybe there is no rational explanation and the father's ego overruled his intellect?
I sure hope the young man is surrounded by loving people now.