Current:Home > MarketsEx-astronaut who died in Washington plane crash was doing a flyby near a friend’s home, NTSB says -ProfitPioneers Hub
Ex-astronaut who died in Washington plane crash was doing a flyby near a friend’s home, NTSB says
View
Date:2025-04-18 01:41:54
The former Apollo 8 astronaut best known for taking the iconic “Earthrise” photo, who died last month while piloting a plane over the waters off Washington state, was doing a flyby near a friend’s house when the fatal accident occurred, federal authorities said Tuesday.
William Anders, whose “Earthrise” photo showed the planet as a shadowed blue marble from space in 1968, had texted a friend to say he planned to do a flyby near her house on the western shore of Orcas Island, the National Transportation Safety Board said in its preliminary report.
The friend said Anders’ flybys were not unusual, according to the NTSB. She said that he typically did two flybys, and while he sometimes rocked the airplane wings, “he never performed any kind of aerobatic maneuvers.”
Around 11:37 a.m. on June 7, the friend began to hear the “familiar” noise of his airplane, the NTSB said. Shortly after, she saw the older-model Beech A45 overhead traveling north along the shore in front of her house.
She briefly lost sight of the plane as it flew behind trees. When she saw it come back into view it was heading south and flying over the water. After it passed by, she saw the left wing drop and thought it was part of his routine. But the wing continued to drop as the plane plummeted toward the water below.
At the same time, another witness on the same shoreline north of Anders’ friend’s home, was using his phone to film the vintage airplane passing by, the NTSB said. Over the course of the video, the plane can be seen plunging toward the water in a near vertical dive before its right wingtip strikes the water.
The friend and the person who took the video were the only two witnesses to come forward, the NTSB said.
The plane sank near the north end of Jones Island, which is off the western shore of Orcas Island, San Juan County Sheriff Eric Peter said. The body of the 90-year-old Anders was recovered that afternoon.
Most of the wreckage was recovered in the week following the crash and has been stored for further examination, the agency said.
Anders’ “Earthrise” photograph, the first color image of Earth from space, is one of the most important photos in modern history for the way it changed how humans viewed the planet. The photo is credited with sparking the global environmental movement for showing how delicate and isolated Earth appeared from space.
Anders, a retired major general, has said the photo was his most significant contribution to the space program along with making sure the Apollo 8 command module and service module worked.
His son, retired Air Force Lt. Col. Greg Anders, told The Associated Press after his father’s death that the family was devastated.
“He was a great pilot and we will miss him terribly,” he said.
veryGood! (158)
Related
- Skins Game to make return to Thanksgiving week with a modern look
- Indiana sheriff’s deputies fatally shoot man, 19, who shot at them, state police say
- Maine formally requests waiver to let asylum seekers join the workforce
- Richard Roundtree, 'Shaft' action hero and 'Roots' star, dies at 81 from pancreatic cancer
- Mets have visions of grandeur, and a dynasty, with Juan Soto as major catalyst
- Martha Stewart says she still dresses like a teenager: Why it matters
- Cheryl Burke Confronts Former Bachelorette Host Chris Harrison Over Claim He Called Her a Sloppy Drunk
- Werner Herzog says it's not good to circle 'your own navel' but writes a memoir anyway
- US wholesale inflation accelerated in November in sign that some price pressures remain elevated
- Are I Bonds a good investment? Shake-up in rates changes the answer (a little)
Ranking
- Warm inflation data keep S&P 500, Dow, Nasdaq under wraps before Fed meeting next week
- Support for Israel becomes a top issue for Iowa evangelicals key to the first Republican caucuses
- 'Harry Potter' stunt double, paralyzed in on-set accident, shares story in new HBO doc
- Is daylight saving time ending in 2023? What to know about proposed Sunshine Protection Act
- DoorDash steps up driver ID checks after traffic safety complaints
- Nashville police chief's son, wanted in police officers shooting, found dead: 'A tragic end'
- Tom Bergeron will 'never' return to 'DWTS' after 'betrayal' of casting Sean Spicer
- Mike Johnson, a staunch conservative from Louisiana, is elected House speaker with broad GOP support
Recommendation
North Carolina justices rule for restaurants in COVID
NHL switches stance, overturns ban on players using rainbow-colored tape on sticks
Ohio State's Ryan Day: Helmet technology should be considered to limit sign-stealing
Illinois man who pepper-sprayed pro-Palestinian protesters charged with hate crimes, authorities say
Trump wants to turn the clock on daylight saving time
A poison expert researched this drug before his wife died from it. Now he's facing prison.
How Dancing With the Stars Honored Late Judge Len Goodman in Emotional Tribute
Man with previous conviction for IS membership detained in Germany, suspected of murder plan