BREAKING | Memorial Day Weekend Show Ends In P-47 Crash

A Sad Day For Aviation.

On Friday May 27th, 2016, a P-47 Thunderbolt crashed into the Hudson River. Three World War II aircraft took part in celebrating 75th anniversary of the P-47. It was also a promotional flight for the American Airpower Museum based in Farmingdale, New York.

The pilot, William Gordon, 56, took off for what seemed like a routine show but his plane malfunctioned mid-flight. The FAA is still investigating the incident and no claims were made as to what happened exactly. A local student who witnessed the crash however, stated, “It made kind of a U-turn, and then there was a stream of smoke coming from it…It was tilting down toward the water. I thought they were doing some sort of trick. I didn’t realize it at first, but it was a plane crash.”

The plane hit the Hudson at around 7:30 PM on Friday night, however, it took rescue crews about 3 hours to retrieve his body. A witness told CNN they saw him struggling to get out of the cockpit before the plane submerged.

According to friends and fellow aviators Gordon was an excellent pilot with over 25 years of experience and a deep respect for the heritage of vintage planes. The day following the crash they performed a “Missing Man Formation” as a tribute to him.

Our deepest condolences go out to William Gordon’s family and friends.