Pilot who killed himself and 13-year-old boy in plane crash was high on Ecstasy

[PingoTango]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...h-Ecstasy.html

By Luke Salkeld
Last updated at 12:45 AM on 11th July 2008

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A pilot was high on Ecstasy when he crashed his light aircraft, killing himself and a 13-year-old boy, it emerged yesterday.

Robbie Gunter, 34, stalled the Cessna plane two minutes after taking off with schoolboy Jamie Clapp, a family friend, on board.

It then plummeted 200ft to the ground and burst into flames.






Jamie Clapp (left) and Robbie Gunter died after the Cessna 150 fell to the ground



Gordon Clapp is raising funds for a skateboard park in his son's memory

An official investigation into the accident yesterday revealed Mr Gunter, a Christian missionary, had taken the Class A drug just hours before the flight.

The news provoked a furious reaction from the dead boy's family, who hit out at the authorities for allowing the pilot to fly again having previously revoked his licence.

Following the crash last July friends paid tribute to Mr Gunter, originally from Greenock, near Glasgow, as a kind-hearted man who was a devout Christian.

But a year-long probe by the Air Accident Investigation Branch revealed he had a level of Ecstasy in his blood higher than a recreational dose, which is typically 100 to 125mg.
Jamie's father Gordon Clapp, 65, said yesterday: 'I just can't believe it - I thought Rob was an ordinary decent guy. I'm disgusted that he could take Ecstasy and take my son into the air.'

The retired dock worker from Mangotsfield, Bristol, added: 'We were friends and I didn't think for a minute he was a drug-taker.

'He was a practising Christian and did missionary work. He never seemed like that sort of person, I never even saw him drunk.' The report released this week said Mr Gunter was likely to have taken the drug within a few hours of the flight'.

'This may have impaired both his judgment and his ability to complete complex tasks, reducing his ability to operate the aircraft safely.'

It also revealed that he had had only 90 minutes' flying since gaining his licence in 2002.


Cessna 150: Type of plane which stalled seconds after Robbie Gunter and Jamie Clapp took off
In late 2006 flight, authorities even revoked his solo-pilot privileges after he experienced navigational difficulties.

He did not tell Jamie's parents the licence was reinstated just four days before the fatal voyage.

The flight took off from Clutton Hill airfield near Bristol shortly after 3pm on July 8, 2007. The pilot then made contact with radio controllers but broke off abruptly as the two-seater Cessna stalled.

Mr Clapp, who is divorced from Jamie's mother, said: 'Why the hell, if he was that bad at flying planes, was he given a licence?'

He said the authorities were partly to blame 'because it was clear that he wasn't up to it, especially with the navigation'.

It dosen't say how much the guy had taken, but implies that it was more than 125mg... Pretty irresponsible to take a 13 year old out in a plane after taking MDMA.

[sjmar86]

Extremely irresponsible. These are reasons drugs get banned. People do irresponsibly and endanger other peoples lives and everyone blames the drug just as much as the person. Same thing with Gun Control!

[entheogensmurf]

Perhaps it'd be enjoyable to fly whilst under MDMA but as a passenger and not the pilot

I still fail to see why any rational person would consider MDMA bad if they read this article. Not to say for one moment I can't easily imagine someone trying to use this is as an example why MDMA should be illegal -- but then not making the same claims about alcohol related deaths.

Quite obviously, I abhor people who are under the effects of any drug and there's a decent chance it may harm another person.
Thank goodness my friends seem to have a built in no-driving policy even after just a few drinks.

And lastly, my condolences to the family (not that they'll read this).

[Greenport]

-_-

irresponsible. They're now news and statistics.

[Panthers007]

Irresponsible is the word for it. To quote John Holmes - former director of the ACLU Drug Task-Force when referring to drugs and drink and driving a car: "I don't care if you've been drinking, smoking pot, or just had a fight with your wife. If you can't make 10,000 in Pac-Man - I don't want you on the road!"

[Nature Boy]

What a stupid little article. Devout Christian who's never been drunk turns out to be a devil-worshipping, ecstasy-dropping, boy-killing plane-crasher.