Body of US Pilot Found in Chinese Lake (movie stunt pilot David Riggs)

AP via ABC News ^ | September 20, 2013 | Christopher Bodeen

[EveningStar]

Divers have found the body of a missing U.S. stunt pilot whose plane crashed into a lake in northeast China while attempting a tricky maneuver in the rain, the head of the team searching for him said Friday.

David Riggs, whose U.S. pilot's license had been suspended, had been missing since Tuesday's accident outside the city of Shenyang in which his young female Chinese translator died. Riggs was in China to take part in an air show and was apparently rehearsing one of his tricks when the accident occurred...

His website describes him as CEO of California-based Mach One Aviation, Inc. and as a "Hollywood stunt pilot, movie producer and world aviation speed record holder." It said his aerial performances had featured in movies and television shows including "Iron Man," ''Jarhead," and the James Bond film "Casino Royale." ...

[EveningStar]

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[CodeToad]

He was a dipshit that gave pilots a bad name, having his license revoked several times.

[Timber Rattler]

Well, it apparently finally caught up to him.

[ColdOne]

whose U.S. pilot's license had been suspended That tells me all I need to know about this "pilot"

[Regulator]

Yup. No loss.

Evolution at work.

[CivilWarBrewing]

Sad that he took an 18 years young Chinese female with him. Did they find her?

[shoff]

Just one more bold pilot that will never be an old pilot

[gov_bean_ counter]

Shame that he took someone out with him...

[Blood of Tyrants]

“Zhang said Riggs crashed while attempting a stunt in which the wheels of his plane were to drag along the lake surface at high speed.”

And that stupid stunt got him (and his translator? not much about her) killed.

[rightwingextremist1776]

There are old pilots and there are bold pilots, but there are no old, bold pilots!

[PGR88]

outside the city of Shenyang in which his young female Chinese translator died.

I've worked in China and have met many guys like this. This woman had other duties besides just "translation."

[centurion316]

That was known as water skiing when done with a Huey in Vietnam. I know of at least one crew that died while trying that trick.

[EveningStar]

She was found alive in the water but died later in a hospital.

[PowderMonkey]

Yup. Met a few myself, and saw the charred remains many more in Central America, years ago. Most places just left the wreckage in place. The narcos used them as landmarks in jungle canopy, to fly to their destinations. Sends quite a chill up the spine to fly over scenes like that.

[taildragger]

“Zhang said Riggs crashed while attempting a stunt in which the wheels of his plane were to drag along the lake surface at high speed.”

In a Lancair? You have got to be flippin kidding me. It has been eon's but I have a wee bit of stick time in an early gen Lancair, they are not for the ham-handed, and with those small tires he wanted to do what?

In a Super Cub with large tires? maybe, in a hot rod like a Lancair? No wonder he is taking a dirt nap....

[Chad_the_Impaler]

Slammer-Time! Felon/Pilot David Riggs Goes to Jail

Wed, Nov 16, 2011
It finally happened... after countless episodes of "how long can he keep getting away with this nonsense?", Convicted Felon and occasional aero-embarrassment, David G Riggs (48), was sent to jail a few hours ago after a Judge affirmed his 2010 conviction for a dangerous high-speed jet buzz job over the Santa Monica Pier in 2008.

[skinkinthegrass]

well...he won't be on Airplane Repro..
Flying Wild Alaska, with those fine pilots..
"always keep the blue side up."

[BerryDingle]

This woman had other duties besides just "translation."

That was a very "cunning stunt" he pulled.

[az_gila]

I guess he was trying to duplicate this, but in a faster plane with much smaller wheels...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcu3GklGvLo