NTSB Releases Preliminary Report on McSpadden Accident

The NTSB has released its preliminary report on the accident that killed AOPA vice president of safety Richard McSpadden Jr. and former NFL tight end turned FBO owner Russ Francis.

Meg Godlewski

Friday, October 20, 2023 at 07:36 PM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

Key Takeaways:

The NTSB's preliminary report details the fatal crash of a Cessna 177RG carrying AOPA VP Richard McSpadden Jr. and FBO owner Russ Francis during a photo mission at Lake Placid.
Witnesses observed the engine shutting off and restarting before takeoff, then surging and failing to produce full power during the climb, leading to McSpadden declaring a problem and attempting an emergency return to the airport.
Initial wreckage examination revealed loose hold-down nuts on the fuel servo and a fractured idle thumbscrew adjustment rod, though other engine components, the fuel system, and controls appeared largely intact.

See a mistake? Contact us.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has released its preliminary report on the accident that killed AOPA vice president of safety Richard McSpadden Jr. and former NFL tight end turned FBO owner Russ Francis. The pair died on October 1 in Lake Placid, New York.

McSpadden, 63, and Francis, 70, were flying a Cessna 177RG that belonged to Lake Placid Air Service. The purpose of the flight, where McSpadden was in the right seat, was a photo mission for AOPA magazine.