Austin Hatch, Indiana Basketball Star, Survives SECOND plane crash.

[PunkerDuckie]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/0..._n_884601.html
(DUDE NEVER GET ON A PLANE AGAIN)

Jeff Karoub, Associated Press
DETROIT (AP) -- A standout Indiana high school basketball player with the promise of playing at the University of Michigan is fighting for his life after surviving the second plane crash of his young life.


Austin Hatch, 16, of Fort Wayne, Ind., was in critical condition Saturday in a northern Michigan hospital after the Friday evening crash that killed his father, Dr. Stephen Hatch, and his stepmother, Kim. Austin and his pilot father had survived a 2003 crash that killed Austin's mother and two siblings.


The teen was "the apple of his dad's eye," and Stephen Hatch took great delight and pride in his son's athletic accomplishments, Dr. G. David Bojrab, a colleague and close friend of the father's, told The Associated Press.


Austin, a junior at Canterbury School in Fort Wayne, Ind., committed earlier this month to play basketball at Michigan, where his father and mother went to school.
He told the Journal Gazette of Fort Wayne for a story published last week that he talked to Michigan coach John Beilein by phone and accepted a full-ride scholarship. It was the first day that NCAA coaches could call recruits for the 2013 class, the newspaper said.
"It was a very special moment for me," Hatch told the newspaper. "There was no reason to wait. There's nothing I don't like about their program, and I couldn't turn it down."
Story continues below

Canterbury coach Dan Kline, who spoke with Michigan coaches before the offer, told the newspaper it was Austin's "dream" to play for Michigan."They didn't come right out and say it, but they told me he was a top priority in the state of Indiana," he said. "They kept dropping hints."




Bojrab said the Hatches were flying to their summer home on Walloon Lake in Michigan's northwestern Lower Peninsula, where Stephen Hatch and his brothers all owned property, when his single-engine plane flew into a garage near the Charlevoix Municipal Airport. It was the same home Stephen Hatch and the family were returning from nearly eight years ago when they crashed in Indiana.


"He was such a strong proponent of flying and teaching people to fly. ... I think he felt compelled to continue his passion," said Bojrab, a partner with Hatch in Pain Management Associates in Fort Wayne.
"He felt compelled to show people that accidents do happen. He didn't want people to look in the other direction."


A 2005 federal report on the September 2003 crash found inaccurate preflight planning resulted in the plane not having enough fuel. The National Transportation Safety Board determined a utility pole the airplane hit during its forced landing, a low ceiling and dark night also contributed to the crash. Bojrab said his friend disputed the report's findings, believing equipment failure caused the crash.


"When he crashed, it was an inferno, which makes you wonder how he could have been out of gas," Bojrab said. Hatch saved Austin, but his other children -- Lindsay, 11, and Ian, 5 -- died along with his wife, Julie, 38. "His wife and two children were in flames and he was never able to reach them," Bojrab said. "Steve reached over to his son who was sitting in front with him and tossed him out the window to save his life."


Beilein said in a statement that the university was saddened to hear about the tragedy affecting the Hatches. "Austin needs as much support right now as possible and I know he will be in the thoughts and prayers of the Michigan family during this difficult time," he said.
Canterbury School said in a statement it released Saturday to "keep Austin and his family in your thoughts and prayers."


Bojrab said Stephen Hatch had planned to go to Spain to celebrate his parents' 50th wedding anniversary with the rest of his family, but canceled the trip to spend time with Austin and his adult stepchildren."Steve was a very big family man," Bojrab said.
Another of his passions was Smith Field Airport, a small, historic airport near Fort Wayne. Bojrab said Hatch led a campaign several years ago to save it and bought the Smith Field Service Center and its flight school.


"He saved the property from being developed commercially," Bojrab said, adding that Hatch was instrumental in getting it on the National Register of Historic Places.
NTSB spokesman Keith Holloway said investigators were on the scene Saturday and would be examining the aircraft, interviewing witnesses and requesting air traffic control communications and radar data. He expected a preliminary report within 10 days and a final report determining a cause within 18 months.

[deeply shaded]

Holy crap. If I'm ever on a plane and he gets on I'm deplaning, thank you.

[Bella]

Omg, that is horrible! This reminds me of the little lone survivor of Flight 255, also in Michigan, Cecilia Sheehan.

I hope he has a speedy recovery.

[puzzld]

Holy crap. If I'm ever on a plane and he gets on I'm deplaning, thank you.

Meh. His dad won't be flying so...

[Feetprints]

So now the poor kid's lost two moms (assuming he got on well with the step-mom), his father, AND two siblings in a plane crash? Holy fuck. Wow. This poor kid.

[neenerneener]

So basically, the father killed off the whole family.

[MsWeatherwax]

So basically, the father killed off the whole family.

So, he killed most of his family due to "inaccurate flight planning" and the Aviation Authority were like "Here's your pilot's license back, have another go!".

[neenerneener]

So, he killed most of his family due to "inaccurate flight planning" and the Aviation Authority were like "Here's your pilot's license back, have another go!".

Yeah. That worked out well, didn't it.

[MsWeatherwax]

Yeah. That worked out well, didn't it.

"He was such a strong proponent of teaching people to fly"...might have been an idea to teach himself first.

[deeply shaded]

So basically, the father killed off the whole family.

He didn't get Austin. And I think there are a few cousins left. Guy couldn't do anything right.

[jessielee]

Meh. His dad won't be flying so...

Yeah this has nothing to do with this kids luck and everything to do with his fathers substandard flying practices

[Bella]

Jun 15, 2011 at 2:20 pm by Dylan Burkhardt Filed under: Recruits

12 comments

Austin Hatch to Michigan


Austin Hatch just confirmed that he committed to Michigan this afternoon. Hatch delcared in April that Michigan was “probably No. 1”, today he made it official by verbally committing to John Beilein and the Michigan Wolverines. Hatch received an official offer from the Michigan staff on June 15th and didn’t wait long to make his pledge.
On his commitment: “I did commit! Coach Beilein is a great coach and Michigan’s a great school. They have a great program and there’s nothing there that’s a turn off. That’s about it”
Hatch, a 6-foot-6 214 pound wing forward, is the first Michigan commitment in the class of 2013.

By the numbers
Hatch is not ranked by any of the major scouting services but much of that is due to playing at a small high school in Indiana and missing the spring AAU season with a tendon injury in his ankle. Hatch was recruited hardest by Michigan but also received heavy interest from Notre Dame and Virginia among others.
Hatch averaged 23 points and nine rebounds per game as a sophomore, leading Canterbury to a 17-5 record and No. 1 IHSAA Class A state ranking at one point.
Scouting
The first thing that stands out when watching Austin play is his shooting ability. His release is quick, efficient and consistent and he has great range on his jump shot. That’s not to say he’s one dimensional, Hatch is a strong rebounder and is able to use his strength to finish in the paint. Athleticism isn’t his strongest suit, and his defense is harmed by that, but he’s not a bad athlete.
Here are my full impressions of Hatch from his performance at the Michigan Elite Camp:

At around 6-foot-6, Hatch has a solid frame to go along with his smooth and quick jump shot. He hit a pair of deep back-to-back threes during his time on the main court and had a couple strong takes to the basket – using his strength and body position very well. He appeared to be the most consistent shooter of the wings at the camp in both game action and shooting drills.
He did a good job on the glass and was assertive offensively without trying to do too much. His handle isn’t quite what you’d like to see out of a wing guard at the next level but it’s good enough to get in the lane and keep defenses honest. His dad has told us that he’s still growing and depending on how much he grows he should have a very interesting combination of size, strength and shooting ability.



There are videos at the link of him playing basketball:
http://www.umhoops.com/2011/06/15/au...h-to-michigan/

[Bella]

I can't find his page, but here is a fan page made for him after the accident. It has no fans.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Austin-Hatch/120142964739930#!/pages/Austin-Hatch/120142964739930?sk=info

[jessielee]

I can't find his page, but here is a fan page made for him after the accident. It has no fans.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Austin-Hatch/120142964739930#!/pages/Austin-Hatch/120142964739930?sk=info

So, wait... Even the person who MADE the page isnt even a fan? Thats bogus.

[Bella]

So, wait... Even the person who MADE the page isnt even a fan? Thats bogus.

I know. I felt bad so I liked it. So, I guess I am the only one that does. I couldn't find his regular fb page. I did watch the basketball videos. They were pretty good.

[jessielee]

I know. I felt bad so I liked it. So, I guess I am the only one that does. I couldn't find his regular fb page. I did watch the basketball videos. They were pretty good.

I just went and liked it too. Its now up to 4

[Bella]

I just went and liked it too. Its now up to 4

Awww, that's cool. I'd like to see his real fb.

[deeply shaded]

I just went and liked it too. Its now up to 4

Now he has 8.

[Chauncy]

White people always be thinking they can fly.

[puzzld]

For the first time since 2011, Austin Hatch hit a shot in a basketball game.

And while that may not sound all that impressive on the surface, you probably don?t know the entire story.

Hatch has survived two plane crashes that killed five of his family members. In 2003, his mother, 11-year old sister and five-year old brother were killed when his father crashed the small plane he was flying. In 2011, he was put into a medically-induced coma for two months after his father again crashed a plane that he was flying. His father and his stepmother died in that crash.

Hatch had committed to Michigan shortly before the second crash, and John Beilein has already announced that he will honor Hatch?s scholarship.

Back to Wednesday night, Hatch, who has moved from Indiana to his uncle?s house in Los Angeles, played in his first game since the crash. He hit his first shot, a three, which sent the Loyola High School bench sprinting onto the court and drew a technical foul:
http://collegebasketballtalk.nbcspor...years/related/

[u2addict]

Such a sad and tragic story.

Austin should consider taking the bus, car or train.......Ixnay the train




jmo. My hell awaits.....

[Arnoldo75]

I agree with you.

[puzzld]

When Austin Hatch stepped onto the court as a player for the University of Michigan?s basketball team on Sunday, he fulfilled a dream that only three years ago seemed unimaginable.

After surviving a plane crash that killed his mother and two siblings when he was 8 years-old, Hatch endured yet another plane crash just eight years later, this time killing his father and stepmother, and leaving him in a medically induced coma. His father had piloted both planes.

?If I would've thought of this situation before it happened to me, I wouldn't have thought I could make it either,? Hatch told NBC News Special Anchor Maria Shriver. ?It really comes down to character, just being able to persevere in the midst of tragedy and adversity.?

At 16 years-old, Hatch was forced to re-learn how to walk and talk after sustaining a traumatic brain injury in the second crash. Doctors feared that the 6-foot-6 high-school basketball star from Indiana would never return to the court.

But Hatch stayed the course throughout a long and complex recovery, his late parents and his faith never far from his mind.

?I can hear their voices in my head when I face a difficult situation,? he said. ?My dad and mom raised me to be an uncommon man. The uncommon man gets up at five in the morning to go work out, to get stronger, when no one else is. It takes an uncommon man to do that when no one is looking.?


After losing his immediate family, Hatch moved in with relatives in California to finish high-school, where senior year he scored a 3-pointer in his first basketball game since the latest crash.

?There were a lot of tears in the locker room,? Hatch said. ?Not that that shot meant that I was totally recovered, but it was a big step in the right direction.?

In June, Hatch graduated high school and secured a full-scholarship to the University of Michigan, his mother?s alma mater ? a bittersweet moment for a young man still mourning the loss of his father and his biggest fan.

?He was my best friend, my basketball coach, my mentor, my everything,? Hatch said.


Yet, despite unthinkable tragedy in his short life, the 19 year-old doesn?t spend time feeling sorry for himself.

?The time that you could spend wondering and thinking why me?,? he said. ?That?s time that you could've spent working your tail off to get better.?

http://www.nbcnews.com/nightly-news/...ake-it-n187026

[blighted star]

Wow. Not only was he in 2 plane crashes in his lifetime - highly unusual. But it was the same pilot both times. That goes way beyond rare.