Richard Gibson McSpadden (1960 – October 1, 2023) was an American educator and pilot. He became the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) Air Safety Institute (ASI) senior vice-president in 2020, having previously been its executive director from 2017.

Early life

Richard Gibson McSpadden was born in Panama City, Florida, to Ann and Richard McSpadden, one of their four children. McSpadden began flying in his teenage years, inspired by his pilot father, and was based out of Air Harbor Airport in Greensboro, North Carolina. The pursuit turned into a career of over 5,000 flying hours. He taught his son to fly and instructed his daughter to fly solo in the family's Piper Super Cub. He graduated with a degree in economics from the

University of Georgia , mottoeng = "To teach, to serve, and to inquire into the nature of things.""To serve" was later added to the motto without changing the seal; the Latin motto directly translates as "To teach and to inquire into the nature of things." , establ ...

and from

Troy University Troy University is a public university in Troy, Alabama. It was founded in 1887 as Troy State Normal School within the Alabama State University System, and is now the flagship university of the Troy University System. Troy University is accredi ...

with a master's degree in Public Administration. He also graduated from the U.S. Air Force Air War College.

Career

McSpadden served in the

United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Signal ...

for twenty years, achieving the role of commander and flight leader of its Thunderbirds demonstration team. He became a commercial pilot with certified flight instructor, multi-engine land, single-engine seaplane and multi-engine seaplane ratings while also working in

information technology Information technology (IT) is the use of computers to create, process, store, retrieve, and exchange all kinds of data . and information. IT forms part of information and communications technology (ICT). An information technology system (I ...

. In 2017, he became executive director of the AOPA's ASI. He was promoted to senior vice-president three years later. He also served as the chairman of the General Aviation Joint Steering Committee. He produced aviation safety material for ASI's

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channel and website.

Personal life

McSpadden was married for 31 years to Judy, with whom he had two children.

Death

On October 1, 2023, McSpadden was killed in an aircraft accident in

Lake Placid, New York Lake Placid is a village in the Adirondack Mountains in Essex County, New York, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 2,303. The village of Lake Placid is near the center of the town of North Elba, southwest of Plattsburgh. ...

. He was 63. He and former

American football American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team with ...

tight end Russ Francis were flying a

Cessna 177 The Cessna 177 Cardinal is a light single-engine, high-wing general aviation aircraft produced by Cessna. It was intended to replace the Cessna 172 Skyhawk. First announced in 1967, it was produced from 1968 to 1978.Christy, Joe: ''The Complet ...

out of Lake Placid Airport when the aircraft experienced an engine failure. They attempted to return to the airport but crashed into a ravine near it. Both McSpadden and Francis were killed.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:McSpadden, Richard 1960 births Date of birth missing 2023 deaths Air War College alumni American aviators American educators Aviators killed in aviation accidents or incidents in the United States People from Panama City, Florida Troy University alumni University of Georgia alumni Victims of aviation accidents or incidents in 2023 Accidental deaths in New York (state) United States Air Force Thunderbirds pilots