Renowned AME Lost Wednesday During Airshow Performance

Aero-News received the following report Thursday from our good friend Ralph McCormick at FLY-LOW magazine, on Wednesday's tragic accident at the Tucumcari Rotary Club Airshow. As Aero-News reported, airshow performer Dr. Guy "Doc" Baldwin -- a Tulsa, OK doctor and aviation medical examiner (AME) -- was killed when his Extra 300L impacted the ground following a maneuver.

McCormick was at the show, and tells ANN the following:

One of our best aerobatic performers was killed [Wednesday] at the Tucumcari air show. The air show, held on Wednesday, is one of New Mexico's best air shows put on by the Tucumcari Rotary club. In the 14 years of the air show, this is the first accident.

"Doc" Baldwin was the second aerobatic act to perform. He had just begun his performance. He performed several maneuvers, made a low pass from the west and pulled up to a vertical hammerhead and then returned back down the same direction. He at the bottom of the maneuver he pulled the Extra 300 back to straight and level. From the photos that I took, it appeared that he remained level for some time and then as he pass overhead I took one more photograph and immediately after that the plane appeared to just fly to the ground.

The plane impacted just a few feet from the taxiway. The plane skidded several hundred feet rolling and tumbling before it stopped. I was the first person to arrive at the crash scene, followed immediately by Tucumcari fireman. "Doc" was killed on impact. There was no fire. The impact caused the Extra to explode into pieces and the wings were non-existent after the plane stopped. That eliminated the possibility of fire... I shot photos of "Doc" going over his plane with the Tucumcari firemen (below) and the emergency actions necessary, should there be an accident. He went into great detail with them.

The cause of the accident is unknown. Pictures and video being shot at the time of the accident have been loaned to the FAA for inspection. The NTSB will provide their opinion of the cause of the crash in about a year. Weather conditions were perfect for an air show, clear sky, cool, but strong east wind.

"Doc" was a good friend of mine and I, along with thousands of others, will miss him dearly. He was 61 years of age.

Aero-News also received the following statement from the Experimental Aircraft Association, on Doc Baldwin's passing:

EAA is saddened to report the loss of Dr. Guy "Doc" Baldwin, EAA 117693, member of the EAA Aeromedical Advisory Council who died as a result of an airplane crash while performing at the annual Rotary Club Air Show in Tucumcari, New Mexico, Wednesday afternoon. He was 60. According to media reports, Baldwin, of Tulsa, Oklahoma, was attempting to come out of a loop maneuver in his Extra 300 when the aircraft collided with the ground.

Dr. Jack Hastings, Chairman of the EAA Aeromedical Advisory Council, first heard the tragic news Wednesday evening while attending an aviation medical conference in Ottawa, Canada. "It's a tremendous tragedy," he said. "Guy was an avid flyer, a tremendous supporter of the medical council, and a tremendous advocate for pilot certification. He worked very hard on improving the process, helping pilots with the special issuance process, getting through the snags and delays of aeromedical certification.

"Keeping people in the air was his life's work."

Hastings noted that Baldwin's loss would have a significant impact on aviation medical certification in Oklahoma. "He did something like between two and three thousand exams a year in the Tulsa area--one of the few AMEs in the country that did as many exams every year." Hastings said. "He was my AME, too. I honestly don't know who's going to absorb that kind of workload. It's going to be tough."

A holder of multiple aircraft ratings including ATP, seaplane and helicopter, Baldwin logged over 4,000 hours in numerous aircraft during his 35 years of flying. He began performing at air shows in 2002, flying under the banner of the Make-A-Wish Foundations of Oklahoma. In 2003, Baldwin was voted Oklahoma Aviator of the Year. He was also a well known as an author, writing monthly columns for Oklahoma Aviator (Ask the Doctor) and General Aviation News (The Doctor is In), and was a periodic contributor to EAA's Sport Aviation.

Baldwin served on the EAA Aeromedical Advisory Council since 1993.

EAA's thoughts and prayers go out to his wife, Felice, and their children, Hunter and Brittny.

Aero-News extends our condolences, as well, to Baldwin's friends and family. We lost one of the good guys this week.

(Photos courtesy of Ralph McCormick at FLY-LOW magazine)

FMI: www.fly-low.com, www.eaa.org