Aero-Community Reacts To News Of Aviation Legend's Death
ANN REALTIME UPDATE 04.20.06 2035 EST: The aviation
community was shocked today by news of aviation legend Scott
Crossfield's death in the crash of a Cessna 210 Wednesday night in
northern Georgia.
Aero-News is covering this story in real-time and will bring our
readers a series of articles on Crossfield's passing... from
reaction throughout the aero-community, to a retrospective on
Crossfield's amazing career, and updates as investigators arrive at
the scene of Wednesday's tragic accident and work to determine what
went wrong.
For now, however, we leave you with a quote one poster
wrote on an aviation bulletin board earlier today: "...at
least the old chap died doing what he loved. Sounds trite, but a
guy like Crossfield shouldn't go out getting hit by a bus
either."
Previous Reports
ANN REALTIME
UPDATE 04.20.06 1410 EST: Quoting the son-in-law of
legendary test pilot Scott Crossfield, media reports indicate
Crossfield, 84, was the victim found in the wreckage of a
Cessna 210 in Northern Georgia. He was the only person
onboard the aircraft.
ANN extends our condolences to Crossfield's family, as well as
to his many friends and even more admirers in the aviation and
aerospace communities. A giant has been lost.
Damn.
ANN REALTIME UPDATE: 04.20.06 1335EST:
Aero-News has received confirmation the wreckage of a Cessna 210
Centurion belonging to famed pilot Scott Crossfield has been
located in the forest of Northern Georgia by county fire chief. The
plane disappeared from radar late Wednesday in the vicinity of
thunderstorms.
Sources close to the scene tell ANN a coroner has been sent to
the accident site to confirm the identity of the victim(s) of the
accident. It remains unknown at this time whether Crossfield,
84, was onboard the aircraft.
ANN REALTIME UPDATE: 04.20.06 1235EST: There is
still no official confirmation that record-setting pilot Scott
Crossfield was onboard a Cessna 210 that is believed to have gone
down over northwestern Georgia Wednesday... but sadly, it's not
looking good.
The Civil Air Patrol is conducting the search for the missing
aircraft, which is registered to Crossfield. The Associated Press
reports a man who answered the phone at Crossfield's home near
Manassas, VA -- the aircraft's planned destination -- wouldn't say
whether Crossfield is missing.
Aero-News will continue to follow this story throughout the day,
and will update this report as we receive futher information.
ANN REALTIME REPORTING: 04.20.06 0735EST: A
Cessna 210 owned by aerospace legend Scott Crossfield is missing in
Northwest Georgia. The Civil Air Patrol is now leading the search.
At this time, It's not known whether Crossfield, 84, was PIC or
even on board, when the plane disappeared about 60-miles
northwest of Atlanta.
The single-engine aircraft, owned by Crossfield Aviation, was on
a flight from Prattville, AL to Virginia late Wednesday. It went
missing near Elijah, GA in what controllers described as strong
thunderstorms. ANN is watching the story carefully and will keep
you apprised as the story develops...