USAF Col. (Ret.) Richard "Spad" McSpadden, Jr. passed away on October 1, 2023, when the 1976 Cessna 177RG Cardinal (N545PZ) suffered an engine failure and attempted to return but failed to make the runway from Lake Placid Airport (LKP/KLKP), Lake Placid, New York, and impacted trees and terrain at the end of the runway. Russell "Russ" Francis, a pilot and the other person onboard also died.
Richard McSpadden led 126 flight performances flying the #1 aircraft as Commander/Flight Leader for the United States Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron Thunderbirds from January 2002 to February 2004. At the time of his passing, he was Senior Vice President of the AOPA Air Safety Institute.
https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/346160
https://www.northcountrypublicradio.org ... -on-sunday
https://www.adirondackdailyenterprise.c ... dentified/
https://www.wwnytv.com/2023/10/01/2-dea ... d-airport/
https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all ... -mcspadden
https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all ... is-passion
Former Thunderbirds Commander & Flight Leader Richard "Spad" McSpadden, Jr. Passes Away
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Adambadger88
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Former Thunderbirds Commander & Flight Leader Richard "Spad" McSpadden, Jr. Passes Away
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