US

Mangled Body Mystery: Did Teen’s Body Fall From Plane Onto Boston Street?

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The father of a North Carolina teen whose mutilated body was found on a suburban Boston street said Tuesday he was struggling with the boy‘s death amid reports authorities were investigating whether the student might have fallen from an aircraft’s wheel well.

Anthony Tisdale said he last saw his son Delvonte on Nov. 14 when they did yard work together and the family had pizza for dinner. When the 16-year-old failed to return from school the following day, the family called police. The boy’s remains were found last week in Milton, Mass., several days after he was reported missing.

Other relatives described the boy as being unhappy in North Carolina and having missed Baltimore, a city he had lived in until he was 13.

In Boston, Logan International Airport spokesman Phil Orlandella said investigators requested flight path information and were looking into the “remote” possibility that Delvonte may have fallen from a plane’s landing gear well.

Anthony Tisdale said at a news conference Tuesday in Charlotte that investigators haven’t told his family anything about an airplane and he has no idea how his son ended up near Boston.

The district attorney’s office in Norfolk, Mass., said an investigation is ongoing but its statement did not address reports that investigators where checking for a possible fall from a plane.

Delvonte Tisdale was a member of the Air Force ROTC program at Charlotte’s North Mecklenburg High School. His father said the family had moved from Greensboro to Charlotte in the summer just so the teen could join that program.

Tisdale said his son was happy to be in Charlotte and loved high school.

“Being here such a short time and losing my son is very difficult,” Anthony Tisdale said, wiping away tears as he spoke with reporters Tuesday. “My son was a hardworking young man, he didn’t frequent the streets … he spent time with his family.”

The teen’s brother told The Associated Press by telephone on Tuesday that the teenager was unhappy in North Carolina and had never wanted to leave Baltimore, where he had lived earlier.

“He was very strict,” Anthony Tisdale Jr., 21, also said of his father. “My brother hated it there.”

“My brother just wanted to come home,” he said, adding the teen “just couldn’t take it there.’

At his news conference, Anthony Tisdale said his teenage son enjoyed life in North Carolina. “My son was ecstatic about being in Charlotte. He loved his high school. He associated with a lot of good folk,” the father said.

Authorities said Tisdale’s body suffered “massive trauma,” but an autopsy didn’t report how he died.

Asked about the possibility that Tisdale may have fallen from an aircraft, Ann Davis, a spokeswoman for the Transportation Security Administration, said: “I’m not aware of that suggestion.” She said the TSA was deferring to law enforcement authorities on the matter.

John Hansman, a professor of aeronautics and astronautics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, said there have been cases of people stowing away in the wheel well of commercial airplanes and not surviving.

Hansman, who isn’t one of the investigators on the case, said there is some “limited evidence” that could support the theory that Tisdale stowed away in a plane’s wheel well and fell out as the aircraft passed over Milton, a community several miles from Logan. He said the area where Tisdale‘s body was found is under the final approach course for one of that airport’s runways, where crew would typically be lowering an aircraft’s landing gear.

Jim Peters, a spokesman for FAA, did not immediately return a call seeking confirmation.

—

AP reporters Denise Lavoie and Mark Pratt in Boston contributed to the story.

Comments (41)

  • smithedwards
    Posted on November 24, 2010 at 12:07pm

    Dig out all the cell phone records! The son’s, the father’s, the EVERYBODY’S and then
    check all the surveillance cameras all over the city especially around the airports. I know there is a clue somewhere in our high-tech society.

    Report Post »  
  • Just Dave
    Posted on November 24, 2010 at 10:28am

    Here are some links of people freezing to death in wheel wells.
    http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/jfk_stowaway_freezes_in_air_GsNdx5V8YuUcudg4MvkgvO

    One who survived.
    http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Stowaway+survives+journey+Man+nearly+frozen+after+trip+in+plane%27s…-a063940501

    Report Post »  
  • Just Dave
    Posted on November 24, 2010 at 10:20am

    From what I understand (I could be wrong). People easily freeze to death in the wheel well of a plane. Given the time of year and altitude he may have been dead before he hit the ground, tragic.

    Report Post »  
  • heavyduty
    Posted on November 24, 2010 at 8:10am

    Most kids now days don’t stop to think things through. I hope the family finds the answers that they are looking for to get some closure. My prayers go out to the family. Wish them all the best.

    Report Post »  
  • smamere
    Posted on November 24, 2010 at 4:04am

    There is, indeed, air circulation to the baggage compartment. Animals are frequently transported in the pit. However, the wheels do not retract into the baggage compartment. Not a pretty demise to contemplate. There is very little space in that area, obviously. That stunt only works in the movies.

    Report Post » smamere  
  • BurntHills
    Posted on November 24, 2010 at 1:23am

    we feel sorry for the people underneath the landing pattern. imagine the nightmares of mangled kids falling from the sky now.

    Report Post » BurntHills  
  • Sinista Mace
    Posted on November 24, 2010 at 1:14am

    Man, I hope he didn’t do this to avoid getting his nuts fondled by TSA.

    That would really piss me off.

    V-MAN MACE  
  • TheGreyPiper
    Posted on November 24, 2010 at 1:10am

    Calijohn, your insightful and incisive commentary is one of the highlights of this blog.

    Just kidding. You’re a tedious troll and an annoying (untrag.

    Report Post » TheGreyPiper  
  • JMS
    Posted on November 24, 2010 at 12:29am

    So was he trying to parachute into Baltimore? If so, he missed his landing – so to speak.

    Report Post »  
  • Ghandi was a Republican
    Posted on November 23, 2010 at 11:44pm

    Autopsy will show suffocation hours before failed landing…. Landing gear bays opened and it was triple lindsey time…

    Report Post » Ghandi was a Republican  
    • calijohn
      Posted on November 24, 2010 at 12:21am

      it’s lindy, maroon.
      beck sucks.

       
  • Its Gonna Getcha
    Posted on November 23, 2010 at 11:15pm

    Tragedy. Strange days.

    Prayers to all involved. Hope it doesn’t happen again.

    Report Post » Its Gonna Getcha  
  • mikenleeds
    Posted on November 23, 2010 at 11:14pm

    i wonder if the kid was stole away in the landing gear and when it open he may of fell out ,, that s crazy

    Report Post » mikenleeds  
  • Star Spangled
    Posted on November 23, 2010 at 10:36pm

    My Condolences to the family . I hope they find out how it happen , it’ll be harder if they never know how or why he died .

    Report Post » Star Spangled  
  • kindling
    Posted on November 23, 2010 at 10:18pm

    Another dad in denial. Delvonte is in a better place now. RIP

    Report Post » kindling  
  • dontbotherme
    Posted on November 23, 2010 at 10:15pm

    No matter how it happened, I‘m sorry for the family’s loss. God bless them all.

    Report Post »  
  • eteme
    Posted on November 23, 2010 at 10:09pm

    This is a horrible accident.. It is an accident it appears.. The mangling happened when the wheel went up into the fuselage and of course the impact. However, if the plane wheel and axel did this there would be a lot of evidence of an accident.. He would have froze if he was in a high altitude jet and oxygen would have be limited at those heights…it is a shame that is for sure, whatever happened to the guy.

    Report Post »  
    • BRAVEHEART
      Posted on November 23, 2010 at 10:26pm

      Oxygen starvation starts at about 12-15 thousand feet, at altitudes above 15,000ft. survival time is about 15-20 minutes max. Surly no one would try this to avoid the TSA SECURITY check?

      Report Post »  
  • RugDog
    Posted on November 23, 2010 at 9:58pm

    :o(

    Report Post » RugDog  
  • MrButcher
    Posted on November 23, 2010 at 9:54pm

    Horrible. Sad.

    message to all stowaways: that stuff only worked on boats 100 plus years ago. You can’t do that with planes. There is no air circulation in the baggage compartment nor the wheel docks. You will die of suffocation soon after the plane hits 10,000 feet for lack of oxygen.

    Hitchhike if you must get somewhere cheaply or hop on a slow moving train. But that is dangerous too.

    Everything is dangerous.

    thus is life.

    Report Post » MrButcher  
    • RugDog
      Posted on November 23, 2010 at 10:00pm

      Are you speculating that he was dead before the landing gear came down? I don’t know if you could hold on to anything at flying speed. How could anyone possibly get into landing gear with all the security around airports. If he really was in that airplane landing gear, the TSA has some serious explaining to do.

      Report Post » RugDog  
    • KenInIL
      Posted on November 23, 2010 at 10:19pm

      You don’t need to hold on once the wheels go up, but there is very little oxygen at 30,000 ft. (that’s why Mt. Everest climbers bring it with them). So you suffocate. When the pilot lowers the wheels you fall out b/c you are dead.

      My question: where was the TSA on this one. A suicidal bomber could have been there and set his bomb off as soon as the wheels went up — goodbye airplane. Maybe we need TSA guards standing around airplanes with machine guns – more stimulus type jobs.

      Report Post »  
    • aLinedog
      Posted on November 23, 2010 at 10:52pm

      Good point Kennil… someone mentioned something similar on another thread earlier today. Are the mechanics, throwers, emergency vehicle operators, de-icers, etc sent through security like the average American must? And why aren’t they securing the planes themselves?
      I hate knee-jerk reactions, and that’s all the DHS/TSA are about. “Profiling works but it’s politically unpalatable.“ ”We have to do Something!“ ”Hey, I got an idea…”
      Meanwhile we have open borders north and south for would-be and wanna-be terrorists to cross as they please. Wow, thanks Federal Government, we are so much safer now.
      Idiots.
      -Line

      Report Post »  
    • MrButcher
      Posted on November 23, 2010 at 11:01pm

      @keninil

      it really isnt hard to get on the tarmac at certain rual airports. TSA is not responsible for the tarmac control or obsrveance (to my knowledge) the airport operators are.

      when I was a kid I use to sneek onto the takeoff zone at Dulles, lay on the ground and watch the planes blast off over me. it was thrilling.

      you cant do that anymore there but other places I’m sure you could. even manuver into the wait before takeoff zone and make a run for it the landing gear.

      anything is possible

      Report Post » MrButcher  
    • Bevaboo
      Posted on November 24, 2010 at 12:23am

      That‘s exactly why I don’t believe this could be true. Plus the kid was AF ROTC; he had to have been aware of the dangers. It sounds like he was intelligent as a teen can be, it doesn’t sound possible to me.

      Report Post » Bevaboo  
    • NukeHaze
      Posted on November 24, 2010 at 12:34am

      He was likely crushed by the collapsing landing gear in the bay and was dead before it reopened. The gear is not a pressurized compartment either so at 30k feet, he would have asphyxiated and froze to death even if he had survived the collapsing gear. Going near 200 miles per hour when approaching landing, even if he had survived up to that point, would have been more than very dificult to cling to the gear and moving parts.

      The luggage compartment has parts that are pressurized, by the way, for animals being shipped and pets travelling with their owners. Stowing away on an airliner is a bad idea anyway but this is a tragedy nonetheless.

      May be more to this story, methinks.

      Report Post »  
    • afroggy
      Posted on November 24, 2010 at 1:05am

      Rugdog,
      Airport security is centered around the terminal, and that’s where the TSA camps out. You’d have to put out minefields to protect the whole runway environment. Securing an entire airport 24/7 is well beyond the capabilities of the TSA. Likely, it would be a great challenge for even the military on some of the larger airports (DEN etc.).

      Report Post » afroggy  
  • lildeb56
    Posted on November 23, 2010 at 9:53pm

    Bizarre – I smell a mystery…

    Report Post » lildeb56  
  • MileHighAmerican
    Posted on November 23, 2010 at 9:49pm

    aw man called out first and I wasn’t My bad!

    Report Post » MileHighAmerican  
  • Quit Smoking
    Posted on November 23, 2010 at 9:49pm

    Holy cow, that’s crazy!!

    Report Post » Quit Smoking  
  • MileHighAmerican
    Posted on November 23, 2010 at 9:49pm

    First!!

    LOOK OUT BELOW!!!!

    feel sorry for the family, but if a kid shoved himself in a wheel well, well…. lol

    Report Post » MileHighAmerican  
  • snowleopard3200 {mix art}
    Posted on November 23, 2010 at 9:48pm

    My condolences to the family and all of his friends.

    Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
    • calijohn
      Posted on November 24, 2010 at 12:22am

      you still have “art” up from third graders?
      beck sucks

       
    • Sinista Mace
      Posted on November 24, 2010 at 12:53am

      That’s some pretty 3rd grade artwork.

      I can draw better than that with my feet.

      V-MAN MACE  
    • afroggy
      Posted on November 24, 2010 at 12:57am

      Happens all the time though. It is not uncommon. I never swung the gear on someone in the wheelwell, but there are some that have.

      Report Post » afroggy  
  • keepinupwithjones
    Posted on November 23, 2010 at 9:43pm

    Man. What a way to go…

    Report Post » keepinupwithjones  
  • WBOPP
    Posted on November 23, 2010 at 9:43pm

    To the family, Sorry for your loss. We will pray for you.

    Report Post »  

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