RIP Bill Anders

[UPChip]

Apollo 8 astronaut who took the famous "Earthrise" photo in December 1968. Crashed his private plane into Puget Sound.

https://www.fox13seattle.com/news/william-anders-wa-plane-crash

 

[UPChip]

If you're scoring at home, that leaves the following Apollo astronauts still with us:

Moonwalkers: Buzz Aldrin (Apollo 11, he's 94), Dave Scott (15, 92), Charlie Duke (16, 88), Jack Schmidt (17, 88)
Flew to the moon, didn't land: Jim Lovell (8/13, 96), Fred Haise (13, 90)
Only flew in earth orbit: Rusty Schweickart (9, 88)
There are also three living Skylab guys and one from the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project.

 

[Shropshire Slasher]

RIP. Can't think of any better way to go out than to crash into Puget Sound.

Saved his family hundreds of thousands in end-of-life care.

 

[Mr._Graybeard]

One of the local TV stations had video of the plane going down. It was a near-vertical plunge.
https://www.fox13seattle.com/video/1467830

 

[maumann]

Damn. Thousands of hours of flight time and something like that snuffed him out.

His trip on Apollo 8 completely changed his view on religion, politics and the environment. He looked back at the Earth and realized how insignificant it is in the Solar System, let alone the universe. While astronauts like Jim Irwin had a newfound interest in God (and went in search of Noah's Ark), Anders went the opposite direction. He found his Catholic upbringing at odds with what he had experienced in space.

Unlike a lot of his contemporaries, Anders was candid about the Apollo program and discussed at length how long the odds were of the crew making it to the Moon and back alive. I remember a direct quote something along the lines of "we'll either be a testament to NASA's lofty goals or three decaying bodies in eternal orbit around the moon as NASA's biggest failure."

His forte was nuclear engineering but had fighter pilot experience in the Air Force, so spent the rest of his career either in the public sector at NASC or NRC, then as an excutive with GE, Textron and General Dynamics.

He was a serious guy in a serious job.

RIP to a steely-eyed missileman.

 

[MileHigh]

RIP. Can't think of any better way to go out than to crash into Puget Sound.

Saved his family hundreds of thousands in end-of-life care.

Sorry, but too soon. Hits a little close to home.

RIP.

Carry on.

 

[User 1019]

There are old pilots, and there are bold pilots. There are no old and bold pilots.

 

[Slacker]

If you're scoring at home, that leaves
the following Apollo astronauts still with us:

Moonwalkers: Buzz Aldrin (Apollo 11, he's 94), Dave Scott (15, 92), Charlie Duke (16, 88), Jack Schmidt (17, 88)
Flew to the moon, didn't land: Jim Lovell (8/13, 96), Fred Haise (13, 90)
Only flew in earth orbit: Rusty Schweickart (9, 88)
There are also three living Skylab guys and one from the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project.

If you're scoring at home, I can't imagine why you're scrolling threads here.

[/rimshot]

You've been great, thanks. I'll hang up and listen.

 

[Mr._Graybeard]

The TV report has a map of the plane's flight path. From a straight line it turns 180 degrees, then grows erratic. It makes me wonder if he had a heart attack or some other type of seizure

 

[UPChip]

If you're scoring at home, I can't imagine why you're scrolling threads here.

[/rimshot]

You've been great, thanks. I'll hang up and listen.

Helloooooo!

 

[Slacker]

One of the local TV stations had video of the plane going down. It was a near-vertical plunge.
https://www.fox13seattle.com/video/1467830

Wow, still flying at 90. Really did die while doing what he loved.

Doing a loop and didn't pull up in time? Looked like it was going smoothly, so I wonder if Anders, an astronaut and expert pilot, somehow miscalculated at the bottom end. Wasn't an abrupt plunge or tail-off from the loop, which could have suggested a sudden medical emergency, so was it just pilot error or a mechanical failure?

 

[Slacker]

There are old pilots, and there are bold pilots. There are no old and bold pilots.

Chuck Yeager and Joe Kittinger? Discuss ...

 

[Mr._Graybeard]

Wow, still flying at 90. Really did die while doing what he loved.

Doing a loop and didn't pull up in time? Looked like it was going smoothly, so I wonder if Anders, an astronaut and expert pilot, somehow miscalculated at the bottom end. Wasn't an abrupt plunge or tail-off from the loop, which could have suggested a sudden medical emergency, so was it just pilot error or a mechanical failure?

We had a fatal light plane crash in the area last year that killed a 70-something guy and his grandson, shortly after takeoff. The conclusion was that grandpa, the pilot, had a medical problem. The plane hit the ground hard straight in and burst into flames.

 

[Slacker]

We had a fatal light plane crash in the area last year that killed a 70-something guy and his grandson, shortly after takeoff. The conclusion was that grandpa, the pilot, had a medical problem. The plane hit the ground hard straight in and burst into flames.

Anders' loop looked like it was going fine on the bottom end, though. Really smooth circle all the way down. So it kinda looks like a pilot error at the water line, which is strange for a guy like him. ... Maybe he somehow just misjudged it. Or maybe he got distracted at the worst moment by something with the plane. ... Either way or another, we might never know, but RIP to another storied astronaut from NASA's greatest era.

 

[dixiehack]

I’m terrified of the idea of a 90-year-old taking a sedan down the block to pick up morning coffee, much less at the controls of a plane. Past glory doesn’t buy back your reflexes.

 

[User 1019]

Chuck Yeager and Joe Kittinger? Discuss ...

While Yeager was a cutting edge aviator, his exploits were highly controlled experimental events grounded in science. He wasn’t acting irresponsibly in aircraft.

aren’t Kittiger’s famous act generally related to balloons and skydiving? Not piloting. He was a fighter pilot, but not a showboat.

 

[Slacker]

While Yeager was a cutting edge aviator, his exploits were highly controlled experimental events grounded in science. He wasn’t acting irresponsibly in aircraft.

aren’t Kittiger’s famous act generally related to balloons and skydiving? Not piloting. He was a fighter pilot, but not a showboat.

True of both, sure. But it's hard to knock Yeager, especially.

Who's the best fighter pilot in history? Who's got the most enemy hits?
I read a book called "Sabre Jet Ace" when I was a kid, but that pilot (and the jet) must be ancient history now.

The book was ****in' great, though, when I was 8.

 

[Shropshire Slasher]

Sorry, but too soon. Hits a little close to home.

RIP.

Carry on.

I apologize for my inconsideration of present company. I will instead substitute "getting hit by a bus."

 

[Slacker]

This story is based on the military records and flying deeds
of the world's first triple jet ace, Captain Joseph McConnell Jr.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_C._McConnell

Joseph Christopher McConnell Jr. (30 January 1922 – 25 August 1954) was a United States Air Force fighter pilotwho was the top American flying ace during the Korean War.[1] A native of Dover, New Hampshire, Captain McConnell was credited with shooting down 16 MiG-15s while flying North American F-86 Sabres. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, Silver Star, and the Distinguished Flying Cross for his actions in aerial combat. McConnell was the first American triple jet-on-jet fighter ace and is still the top-scoring American jet ace.

---------------------------------------------------------

This still seems incredible.
And I remember reading all this stuff as a kid.

Guess I'm obligated to buy the book
and fact-check it now, but I'm up for that.

SABRE JET ACE, *******!!!!!11!!!1!!!!

 

[John]

My girlfriend and I are actually on vacation on Orcas Island and were doing a whale watching tour today when the captain told us there had been a plane crash not too far away. Glad I didn't see it. He lived a hell of a life.