RICHARD MCSPADDEN

MeSpadden once wrote, "Flying has brought so much to my life - in many ways has been my life.... I feel a growing urge to give back, cast a wider net, and expose more people to this splendid experience that can change the trajectory of a life.

- JOSEPH NORONHA

(1960-2023)

EVERY ACCIDENT IS LAMENTABLE. BUT WHEN RICHARD McSpadden, the 63-year-old senior vice president of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) Air Safety Institute (ASI) of the USA died in a plane crash on October 1, 2023, it seemed particularly senseless. The ill-fated aircraft was a single-engine Cessna Cardinal 177RG owned by Lake Placid Flying Service. McSpadden was in the right seat, which is usually not pilot in command in general aviation aircraft. And Russ Francis, former National Football League (NFL) player and long-time aviator, was in the left seat. The purpose of the flight that took off from the Lake Placid Airport was a formation flying photo mission for AOPA Pilot magazine. McSpadden, a former member of the United States Air Force (USAF) “Thunderbirds” team, had many years of experience as a formation pilot and would have taken over the controls for the photoshoot portion of the flight.