Fatal fall of an aircraft stowaway: a demonstration of the importance of death scene investigation.
Scene investigation is of paramount importance in forensic pathology. Many medical and coroner systems wisely and routinely evaluate the scene in homicides but do not routinely investigate traffic fatality scenes. This case originally was thought to be a pedestrian-automobile event, but, due to proper and prompt scene investigation, it was determined that the decedent was actually a wheel-well stowaway who fell from a commercial aircraft.
Thogmartin
J R
JR
Palm Beach County Medical Examiner Office, West Palm Beach, FL 33406, USA.
D000058:Accidental Falls; D000328:Adult; D000401:Aircraft; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005554:Forensic Medicine / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male