TEHACHAPI, Calif. — An aerospace engineer was killed when a kit airplane he had spent years building crashed during takeoff on its maiden flight.
The single-engine plane piloted by David Robert Thompson, 38, fell back onto the runway and burst into flames Sunday at Mountain Valley Airport, about 70 miles north of Los Angeles.
His wife and two children were among the witnesses.
"His family was there, videotaping," said coroner Kelly Cowan. "It was supposed to be a celebration."
View Comments
The cause of the crash was not known.