Teen attempting around the world flight killed in crash

Seventeen year old Haris Suleman, and his father Babar Suleman were killed when the Hawker Beechcraft they were attempting to fly around the world in crashed after departing Pago Pago. They left Indiana June 19th, and were attempting to raise money for a charity that builds schools in Pakistan. They were scheduled to arrive back in Indiana on Sunday.

They were attempting to go around the world in less than 30 days, with the youngest pilot in command. They were bound for Honolulu when the plane crashed about a mile offshore from Pago Pago. They missed the 30 days, but had gone across Europe, Africa, Asia, and the South Pacific. The body of Haris Suleman was recovered, but his father is still missing.

INDIANAPOLIS -- A family spokeswoman says an Indiana teenager was killed when his plane crashed while trying to set a record for an around-the-world flight.

Annie Hayat said Wednesday that the plane flown by 17-year-old Haris Suleman went down shortly after leaving Pago Pago in American Samoa. Suleman and his father, Babar Suleman, were on board.

www.cbsnews.com...

I seen this on the news. It's a shame and it's also a fact that when you attempt to cross the globe in a small plane that has a teenage pilot who just got his license to fly over the ocean, things can go horribly wrong.

God bless him and his dad. I hate flying and this is mostly why.

Terrible story..I bet it will be some time before civil aviation authorities will allow this to happen again anytime soon.
Condolences.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Another sad day in aviation. My heart goes out to his Family and Friends. It was with a loving heart he started this journey. May his continued Journey lead him to Peace. I pray they find his Father soon.

Des

a reply to: Helious

I hate flying and this is mostly why.

is it the amount of "P" plate license flyers in the air now.

a reply to: PLAYERONE01

I just went on a 10 day vacation from Chicago to hawaii. I hate flying more than anything else in the world, I have a phobia so bad I have to take knock out drugs to cope. The trip from Chicago to Maui wasn't so bad but then again I don't remember it.

I had the bright idea to try and face my fear on the puddle jumper from Maui to the Big Island. I seriously misunderstood my phobia. I cried like a 4 year old girl for most of the 45 minute flight in utter confusion to my wife and the other 6 passengers. Man, what a day.......

I learned a couple things that day. Not everything in your life is rational. Not everything in your life you can explain. No matter how tough you think you are, something somewhere will make you cry like a girl.

Ugh, I wish I could forget that day.

a reply to: Helious

I don't think that the teenage pilot aspect of this story has anything to do with the crash. The boy didn't have a ton of experience but he was instrument rated which takes a lot of flight time and knowledge to get. Plus he was flying with his dad who was a veteran pilot. Based on everything I've read it sounds like the engine stalled just after takeoff and they didn't have enough altitude to properly respond to the emergency. Even if the pilot in command, which may have been the father at that point, managed to slow the aircraft to 80 knots for the water landing, he still had to land it in the ocean - in the dark. I'm guessing that a wingtip struck the water which caused the aircraft to tumble forward violently and smash into the ocean at over 92 mph.

This is a very sad story and my heart goes out to their family and friends.

But, what an amazing adventure a father and son were experiencing together. They were "living" more than most ever do, or ever will, even with 100 years on this planet...

May they rest in peace.