Thursday, July 20, 2017

Baby Duck is gone.

Saw this report of a plane crash. Happened this past Sunday in Kansas.

2 dead after plane crash in Atchison County

Only two people were on board the plane when it crashed. The pilot, 64-year-old Vlado Lenoch of Buff Ridge, Illinois, and the only passenger, 34-year-old Bethany Root of Atchison, Kansas, were both killed in the crash. Root is the general manager of the Amelia Earhart Airport.

An Atchison County Sheriff's Department official said it appears the crash happened at a high rate of speed. The impact left a large debris field in its wake.

The official said he thought it was intended to be a short, local flight and the plane crashed with 10 to 15 minutes of take off.

Officials believe the plane is a P-51 Mustang. It flew in the air show for the Amelia Earhart Festival Saturday evening.

A National Transportation Safety Board official said a witness described the plane flying 25 to 30 feet above power lines shortly before the crash. The official isn't sure if the plane clipped the lines but the witness said the plane suddenly pitched up and rolled to the left before hitting the ground in a deep descent.

Not much left.

But a P-51? Damn. It was Baby Duck.

USA: Two killed in P-51 Mustang crash



I saw Baby Duck in August, 2012, at Thunder Over Michigan.
This was the year I took my father. It was one of the last things we did together before he passed.

That's him with the camera. It was a great day.


I saw Baby Duck again the next year, same place, this time there with Aaron of the Shekel.

Now it's gone. Gone for good, along with it's pilot and a passenger, neither of whom likely realized that they were taking their last flight that morning. Sadness.

9 comments:

  1. Just Damn. That's sad.

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  2. That's a very sad loss indeed, People and aircraft both.

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  3. I think they died doing what they wanted to. That's no really a bad thing.
    I can think of a lot worse ways to go....

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  4. Sad loss, thoughts and prayers for the families...

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  5. Hey Murphy;

    Pure sadness all around both for the loss of the people and the plane, although going with "The old Man" said, it ain't a bad way to go.

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  6. The last time that I was at the National Championship Air Races in Reno, (not far apart from drooling like Murphy staring at a steak) I commented to a friend that owning a P-51 would be the finest acquisition that I could make. Naturally, it's far from my means.

    He said, "You'd kill yourself."

    I replied, "Maybe, but how could a man die better?"

    RIP Baby Duck and crew.

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  7. I'm sorry for your loss.
    And the loss to all of us...
    :-(

    gfa

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