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The Senior Vice President of the AOPA Air Safety Institute Richard McSpadden was one of two people killed in a crash on Sunday. McSpadden had a long career in aviation and is survived by his wife Judy, his son Grant and his wife Annabel.
The AOPA issued a statement, confirming that McSpadden was one of the two killed when a Cessna 177 Cardinal experienced an emergency right after takeoff and crashed at the end of the runway.
"We are deeply saddened to report that Richard McSpadden died in an aircraft accident outside Lake Placid, New York, on Sunday afternoon," the AOPA said in a statement. "The Cessna 177 Cardinal in which Richard was in the right seat experienced an emergency after takeoff. The airplane attempted to return to the airport but failed to make the runway. Both occupants lost their lives."
McSpadden was appointed executive director of the AOPA Air Safety Institute in February 2017 and promoted to senior VP in July 2020. In his role, he led a team of certified flight instructors and content creators to distribute aviation safety material. The Early Analysis series involved McSpadden analyzing aircraft crashes on the ASI YouTube channel, giving known information and possible safety measures for other pilots to take away from the incident. ASI distributes materials on various channels like YouTube, iTunes podcasts, Facebook and a website with material accessed 12 million times annually.
He is a native of Panama City, Florida and started flying as a teenager. He logged over 5,000 hours in his flying career on a range of civilian and military aircraft. McSpadden was a commercial pilot, CFII, MEI with SES and has MES ratings and a 525S type rating. He taught his son to fly and instructed his daughter to fly solo in their Piper Super Cub, according to the AOPA. He earned his degree in Economics from the University of Georgia and a Master of Public Administration from Troy University. He is also a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Air War College.
Before joining the AOPA McSpadden had a career in the information technology industry where he was in charge of geographically dispersed operations and provided crucial, business-related IT services. He served in the Air Force for 20 years and held the role of commander and flight leader of the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds flight demonstration team, leading over 100 flight demonstrations by flying the lead aircraft. He also served as industry chair to the General Aviation Joint Steering Committee."Richard's pioneering work in flight safety, including his leadership in education and training, saved countless lives," NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen said. "We extend our condolences to his family, his friends and all those touched by the important safety lessons he shared."
McSpadden is remembered by his colleagues, friends and family. He is remembered by a strong community of aviators. His Early Analysis videos and other materials from the ASI will continue to provide pilots with information on how to fly safely."Our general aviation community is in deep mourning with the passing of Richard McSpadden," GAMA President and CEO Pete Bunce said. "Spad was a close friend. We flew F-15s together over the skies of Iraq, worked closely within the airshow community when he served as the leader of the USAF Thunderbirds, and we flew the Idaho backcountry together. I have never known an aviator with finer pilot skills who then in-turn selflessly helped others benefit from his vast expertise with such humility that pilots at any experience level felt comfortable learning in Spad's presence."
Lake Placid News reported that the crash occurred at about 4:09 p.m. at the Lake Placid Airport (LKP) on Sunday, close to the North Elba Athletic Fields. McSpadden was in the plane with former NFL tight end Russ Francis, who had recently bought the airport's Lake Placid Airways scenic tour business. He was a first-round NFL draft pick in 1975 and had a 1985 Super Bowl ring and three selections to the Pro Bowl. He played for the New England Patriots and the San Francisco 49ers and was inducted into the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame in 1993.
McSpadden was in the right seat when the plane reportedly experienced an emergency after takeoff. Reports indicate that the plane attempted to return to the runway but instead crashed at the end of a runway. The aircraft was sideways and down near the bottom of an embankment, reported The Adirondack Daily Enterprise. The airfield was closed to the public as emergency workers worked to remove the plane from the gully.
The FAA and NTSB are investigating the crash and a preliminary report should be released in about two weeks.