UK Photographer Steven Fletcher Lost In Takeoff Accident
ANN REALTIME UPDATE 01.26.09 1120 EST:
Officials have released the identities of the two people involved
in Sunday morning's takeoff accident of a Remos GX light sport
aircraft at Sebring Regional Airport (SEF) in Florida.
Steven E. Fletcher, a freelance aviation photographer based in
the United Kingdom, was killed when the aircraft apparently lost
control and impacted the airport's south ramp, adjacent to Runway
18 at SEF, at around 7:45 am EST Sunday.
As ANN reported, the accident aircraft was
part of a two-ship formation taking off from the runway; the first
aircraft had already departed, but quickly returned and landed back
on 18 after the second plane went down.
Fletcher on assignment to the US Sport Aviation Expo for British
aviation magazine Today's Pilot, and was presumably on a photo
shoot when the accident occurred.
The pilot, Mike Kostelac, was airlifted from the scene to a
Tampa hospital, in critical condition. Lt. Tim Lethbridge with the
Highlands County Sheriff's Office told Highlands Today Kostelac's
condition had stabilized as of Monday morning.
Kostelac is the Northeast Regional Sales Manager for Remos, and
was among the company's employees exhibiting the recently-upgraded
Remos GX at the sport aviation show. The accident aircraft, N9GX,
was one of two aircraft on display under the company's large tent
display throughout the Sport Aviation Expo (shown at center). The
Remos display was closed throughout Sunday, the last day of the
show.
"We are overwhelmed with this loss and our deepest sympathies
and prayers go out to the victim's family," said Remos CEO Michael
Meirer. "We will provide full co-operation with the authorities as
they seek to determine the cause of this tragedy."
Paul Hamblin, group editor-in-chief of Key Publishing, expressed
his sorrow to Fletcher's family, friends and colleagues. "He was a
very popular aviation photographer who was very well respected,
experienced and known throughout the world of aviation," Hamblin
told the Rutland and Stamford Mercury.
"He had done this many times before and knew exactly what he was
doing. Everyone is stunned and shocked and very sad as Steve was a
popular guy and will be missed by everybody."
Investigators with the FAA were on scene Sunday, and were joined
Monday morning by their colleagues at the National Transportation
Safety Board. No official statement about the possible cause of the
accident has been released.
IDENTIFICATION
Regis#: 9GX
Make/Model: LSA Description:
LIGHT SPORT AIRCRAFT
Date: 01/25/2009 Time: 1258
Event Type: Accident Highest Injury:
Fatal Mid Air: N Missing:
N
Damage: Destroyed
LOCATION
City: SEBRING State: FL Country:
US
DESCRIPTION
AIRCRAFT CRASHED UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES, THE ONE PERSON
ON BOARD WAS
FATALLY INJURED, SEBRING, FL
INJURY DATA Total
Fatal: 1
# Crew: 1 Fat:
1 Ser:
0 Min:
0 Unk:
# Pass: 1 Fat:
0 Ser:
1 Min:
0 Unk:
# Grnd:
Fat: 0 Ser:
0 Min:
0 Unk:
WEATHER: KVRB 251253Z 00000KT 9SM CLR 04/08 A3019
OTHER DATA
Activity: Unknown Phase:
Unknown Operation: OTHER
FAA FSDO: ORLANDO, FL
(SO15)
Entry date: 01/26/2009