Wing Walker dies after fall at Michigan Air Show

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=59f_1313964952

It's sad to see this happen, I watched him preform the day before, I remember him standing on the airplane as they taxied out, he had a big smile on his face and he was waving to everyone.

Sad news indeed.
With the death of yet another wing walker, I would not be surprised if the FAA has a knee-jerk reaction and bans the practice.

this was a harsh weekend in aviation .. 2 airshow accidents, a midair in NJ and the Resolute Bay 737 crash with a few survivors.
There's nothing routine about flying. but I can't live without it.

Was at the airshow and saw it as it happened, very tragic. R.I.P. and prayers for the family

I had the privlage of watching Todd preform at the Quad City Airshow back in June. I took a picture of him on the Stearman, and it was selected as a Staff Pick! http://flightaware.com/photos/view/314566-14ea9bc545e501b2411ca9be511416328cb973fb/user/jcisuclones/sort/votes/page/1 RIP Todd!

Prayers go out to his family. Though, i have no idea why this [wing walking] is even allowed...

There is no entertainment in watching some poor guy take a header from 500 feet. The only thing flying should have wings.

I'm a pilot, like many of you on here, and I enjoy a good airshow. I have probably been to 20. BUT....Honestly, do any of you get any thrills out of ANY wing walker you have ever seen? It has to be one of the most mundane parts of any airshow. Bring on Sean Tucker in his bipe or a high speed jet flyby anytime. I hope the FAA does have a knee jerk reaction and ban this practice. How many kids had to be consoled that night after seeing this happen, including the performer's own kids who are now without a father? For what? If you ask me this practice is more for the performer's own thrills than ours.

Wing walking was one of the very first acts performed at airshows. I've had several friends that were wingwalkers and never had any problems... yet one of the very best airshow pilots I've ever known was killed welding on a boat. Another of our most talented airshow performers was paralysed when a piece of exercise equipment he was using failed. Flying, and Airshows in particular can be dangerous and so to are the "acts" by performers such as wingwalkers and parachutists, but so is a lot of other sports or entertainments we enjoy... Dale Earnhardt comes to mind, along with numerous others in autoracing..., so I ask, what IS safe in this life? Someone once said that without risk there can be no reward. What happened here was a horrible and tragic thing without doubt, but he knew that those risks existed when he first set foot up on that wing. He thought that risk worth the effort. Did he have a deathwish? I doubt it. But I'd be willing to bet he got far more out of the life he lived than most will.