Yet another very tragic crash

[wsuffa]

Sigh. (link)

FREMONT, Ohio - Gene Damschroder Sr. made his name in politics, but that wasn't his first love.

The World War II seaplane pilot never passed on a chance to go up in the air - whether it was teaching someone how to fly or taking them on their first flight.

Damschroder, 86, was doing both when his 1968 Cessna crashed Sunday, killing all six people onboard.

.................
Damschroder had offered rides on the plane following a charity breakfast where pilots fly to Fremont Airport and show off their planes. What caused his plane to crash hasn't been determined.

Among the victims were Danielle Gerwin, 31, and her 4-year-old daughter, Emily, who was taking her first flight.

 

[rottydaddy]

I've got to stop clicking on these things... but I guess I want to learn.

 

[Steve]

Gene checked me out in his C172 at Fremont while I was on temporary assignment at Davis Besse NPP in 2002. The hangar he kept the Skyhawk in had a full bath and bedroom built in for overnight visitors. He was not only a local aviation legend, he was an accomplished fiddler, too.

Quite a character. He flew PBY's at the end of WWII. The plane that crashed was a C206.