http://www.sanluisobispo.com/news/local/article146320439.html



The man who was killed in a Sunday morning plane crash in Paso Robles has been identified, according to the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office.

Javier Fernando Arango, 54, of Los Angeles, was the sole occupant of a World War I replica biplane when it crashed in a field several minutes after taking off from a private airstrip.

Arango was a board member emeritus of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum and was a well-known member of the local aviation community.

Arango, who was featured as a World War I aircraft enthusiast in Air & Space Magazine, had “one of the world’s finest private collections of World War I aircraft,” according to the magazine.

The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration were expected to arrive on scene and investigate the crash.

My condolences.

What terrible news, certainly for the loss of Javier, but also for the loss of this terrific Nieuport-- sad it was not the only casualty here-- it can be replaced whereas a scholar like Javier can never be. If I'm not mistaken, this is the same aircraft featured in the pages of "Ghosts of WWI"-- a book of photos from the group Javier belonged to that restored and and built WWI aircraft in S. California. I don't recall exactly, and my copy is currently in storage. Again, my condolences to Javier's family. Tragic loss.
VR, Russ

Not much evidence of horizontal motion in the photos. It looks as though the impact was mostly vertical, which makes me think that the sequence was stall, spin, crash in rapid succession

That is dreadful news. My sincere condolences to the pilot's family and friends.

All the best

Rowan

My sincere condolences

He is with the masters now... And they are having a fine time, still among the clouds.

Think of him, and he is still with us, below

Captn Tommy