Two people die in a Lake Placid plane disaster, including former NFL player Russ Francis of the 49ers and Patriots.
AP/LAKE PLACID, N.Y. Authorities said on Monday that former NFL tight end Russ Francis, who was selected to the Pro Bowl three times with the New England Patriots and won a Super Bowl with the San Francisco 49ers in 1984, died in a small plane crash that occurred after the aircraft took off from an airport in upstate New York, along with another aviation enthusiast.
In a single-engine Cessna 177, Francis, 70, and Richard McSpadden, 63, had just taken off from Lake Placid Airport on Sunday just after 4 p.m. when the aircraft suffered technical difficulties. The plane struck an embankment at the airport’s corner, according to the New York State Police.
Francis served as president of the charter and scenic aviation company Lake Placid Airways. According to the airline’s website, he had operated a charter service in Hawaii and had been a pilot for about 50 years. He was a lifelong aviation enthusiast. McSpadden was regarded as an authority on aviation safety and served as senior vice president of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association. According to the organization, he held the position of U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds leader during a period of his career.
Francis, who played in New England until 1980 after being selected by the Patriots in the first round of the 1975 draft, was a member of both the 35th anniversary squad and the 1970s all-decade team. From 1977 to 1979, he was selected to the Pro Bowl three times in a row.
Throughout his playing career, Russ was a fan favorite, according to a statement released by Patriots owner Robert Kraft. In addition to being a tremendous player on the field, he had a huge personality off it. He pushed the envelope, knew no bounds, and fully experienced life.
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