Additional info from Monday paper.

Johnson, 62, was from Parkton, NC.

He had 6000 hours when he joined the CAF in 1999.

Was a retired air traffic controller and had owned three vintage
military aircraft, PT-17 Stearman Trainer, an SNJ-6 Navy advanced
trainer and a British AT-19 Reliant navigational trainer.

"Among his peers, he would have been seen as a very experienced
pilot", CAF President, Bob Rice said.

Sure hate to lose plane and crew like this.

Big John


On Sun, 19 Oct 2003 18:24:29 -0500, Big John
wrote:

Extracted form Houston Chronicle, 19 Sept.

CRASH AFTER AIR SHOW KILLS PILOT

The pilot of a WWII warplane was killed when it crashed near Ellington
Field on Saturday evening.

Houston Aviation Department spokesman, Ernie DeSoto, said the plane
crashed about 6 pm in a field off Clear Lake City Bvd.

Houston Fire Department District Chief, Tommy Dowdy, said the pilot
was a 50 - 55 year old East Coast man who had participated in
Saturdays Wings Over Houston Air Show at Ellington earlier in the day.
The victim's name was not released since his family had not yet been
notified.

Houston Police Spokeswoman, Sandra Aponte, said the single-engine
Navy Wildcat was manufactured in 1944 and is owned by American Air
Power Heritage Group, but is flown and maintained by the Commemorative
Air Force . (~Used to be Confederate Air Force). It was registered in
MIdland (TX) she said.

Officials said the pilot was participating n a photo opportunity when
the crash occured.

Authorities didn't know what caused the accident since investigation
was still in progress, Aponte said.

Dowdy said the planes wings were sheared off by the impact.

"It (the plane) dug in, it hit hard. It's barely recognizable," Dowdy
said of the crash

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My condolences to the family.


Big John