Vlado Lenoch Killed in Airplane Crash After Amelia Earhart Festival - Atchison, Kansas - 7/16/17

[RyanS]

Just getting initial reports of a plane crash in Kansas today with two reported fatalities. Not many details yet but it will likely turn out to be someone many of us know well...

http://amp.kmbc.com/article/two-killed- ... n/10313990

[RyanS]

Source: KMBC

[RyanS]

No names officially confirmed, but from the evidence available I feel safe in saying that this hits far closer to home than almost any other crash I've heard of. This is devastating.

[RyanS]

The names of the occupants have been released by the local sheriff's department and as feared, Vlado Lenoch was the pilot.

The passenger was local airport manger Bethany Root.

http://mscnews.net/news/index.cfm?nk=62736

[bigt512]

Damn really enjoyed seeing him fly. Just saw him at Battle Creek.

[RyanS]

Copied from my Facebook:

Absolutely devastated at the loss of Vlado today. Talk about one person I never expected to be mentioned like this. Amazing pilot, amazing guy. Always willing to help us pesky photographers out.

Just this morning I was editing photos of him and Dave was getting to work on an onboard video he helped us with in Goshen. We took a smiling selfie on Baby Duck's wing that night. Last night I was wearing the Heritage Flight hat he gave me years ago - a treasured part of my collection.

I saw Vlado at every event I've gone to this year. This is too much to process in the week before Oshkosh, when we would have been seeing him daily....

[EricP]

So shocked to hear this news! Didn't know him personally like you did Ryan, but I have been reflecting on the times I was fortunate enough to see Vlado fly. I think the last time was at the Cleveland Air Show last year. Was looking forward to many, many more shows with him and "Baby Duck". Sad, sad day.

[RyanS]

I hope everyone will join me in posting some fond memories of Vlado in the coming days. I have seen him so many times that I don't even know what to post.

[KBooker]

I remember watching him perform at Thunder over Michigan I believe last year flying along the F-22 demo and other times in the past.
Very sad to hear him gone, big loss to the airshow community.
I'll regret never getting the chance to meet him in person.
Fair skies and tailwinds Mr. Lenoch.

[awal2049]

I think I'm a little more upset about the loss of Baby Duck, it was a truly beautiful piece of history. Then again, I didn't know the pilot, and I sadly never saw him fly in person. I'm sure anyone who knew Vlado will be deeply saddened by this loss. He was a very experienced pilot who with the Heritage Flight program since it was founded in 1997. It seems like too many good pilots are being killed in accidents in recent years, such a shame.

Ryan, this shot of Vlado's and the Raptor's silhouette is really beautiful. I'm so sorry for your loss.