A 61-year-old man flying Tuesday as passenger in a Robinson R44 tour helicopter near Newport Beach, Calif., appears to have opened the door and jumped out while roughly 500 feet above the ocean, according to local police. The man was recovered from the water and later pronounced dead at an area hospital. First reports state that the man paid $310 in advance for a 30-minute coastal tour for two, but arrived alone. During the flight the man opened the helicopters door and jumped out while the pilot attempted to restrain him, the pilots father told the Los Angeles Times. Details offered by the deceased mans brother may offer some explanation.
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