Warbird Information Exchange

Ross Anderson, the owner of Square One Aviation, crashed his Harmon Rocket into a house in Seal Beach, CA this morning. Reports are that he was fatally injured and that someone in the house was injured.

That's all I know.

Ross Anderson is on the left of this photo I took after the Chino show. (Former owner and owner of the airplane in the photo Elmer Ward is on the right) This was shot in front of Square One.




John H

Further coverage at:

http://cbs2.com/topstories/topstoriesla_story_189140119.html

This is horrible to hear. Ross flew with the B-17 & B-24 for a few stops earlier in the Spring while we were in the Southern CA area and was a super guy. I only spoke to him on the phone, but he was very gracious and tremendously friendly. He was pretty well known by some of our Chino based pilots and became an instant friend with the crew that flew with him. Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this terrible time.

Ryan Keough
Collings Foundation

Very sad news indeed....


My thoughts are with his family...

Let's all be safe out there, OK?

_________________
Olivier Lacombe -- Harvard Mk.4 C-GBQB

A friend of mine lives near the crash site so I was startled to see the words cul de sac and Seal Beach, but thankfully nobody on the ground was killed. Reports on KNBC said the aircraft went in at a sharp nose down angle. Here is a webpage with photos of Ross and a short article on the airplane
http://www.masseyaircraftservice.com/Testimonial.htm

John

From the LA Times:


Small Plane Crashes Into Seal Beach Home

By Kevin Pang, Times Staff Writer


A small airplane crashed into a house in the Orange County community of Seal Beach this morning, killing the pilot and injuring at least two people on the ground, authorities said.

The pilot was identified by friends and family as 62-year-old Ross K. Anderson of Rancho Palos Verdes, a licensed pilot to whom the plane was registered.
About an hour after the 8:12 a.m. crash, firefighters could be seen chopping into the roof of one large house, throwing off branches, and working at a second house in a small cul de sac near the interchange of the 605 and 405 freeways, not far from the airport in Long Beach.

Both houses were damaged. On one house, the windows were blown out and one side of the house was charred. Gray smoke, but not fire, was visible.

Sharon Loe, 67, was reading a newspaper in her family room when the plane hit the house she had lived in for nearly 40 years, said her son David. She was hit by glass and her hair was burned, he said. "It's very unbelievable she walked away," David said.

She suffered minor burns, Seal Beach police Detective Stan Berry said. An elderly woman in a nearby house had a heart attack, he said.

"I thought it was going to land on top of our house. I've never heard anything like it," said Trudy Olsen, a 40-year resident of the neighborhood, who said the crash was loud enough to hurt her ears.

The plane was a Harmon Rocket, a small single-engine plane typically built by flying enthusiasts from a kit, said Donn Walker, a spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration.

The plane had filed a flight plan and was traveling from Torrance to Chino. Air traffic controllers lost radar and radio contact with it about the time the crash was reported, Walker said.

Seal Beach is a city of 24,150 people on the coast of northwestern Orange County, south of Los Angeles.[url][/url][url][/url][url][/url]

I live about 4 miles from the crash site myself. Further reports say he was in cruise at 5300' going from Torrance to Chino when the accident happened.

It seems like he way on his way to work in his typical commute and under radar control, so the "armchair accident investigators" can make of that what they like.

Another very tragic loss. Although I never personally met Mr. Anderson, I would like to share a quick story with you that recently took place which describes what a genuine person he was. When the Red Tail Mustang went down in late May it took us a short (Very short!) period of time to conclude that we would without question rebuilt her. When the word reached Square One that work would be starting on the rebuild as soon as possible, Ross called and offered to accept any sub-assembly of the airplane to rebuild it for us as a donation. WOW! Not only does kindness like that completely blow me away, but it speaks more about the person making the offer than what the casual observer may see. It was very obvious that more than the actual aircraft itself, Ross knew the importance of getting THAT airplane back in the air for the good of the Red Tail project and it's important mission. That’s a heck of a statement about one true gentleman.

From all of us involved with the Red Tail Project, God speed to the family, friends and employees of Square One. Our thoughts and prayers are with each of you.

John Beyl
CC Red Tail Mustang

I've written the LA Times about this, It's hilarious the terms non aviation media sometimes uses when writing about aircraft. Look at this gem from yesterday's crash article, "website pics showed Anderson behind the wheel". Sheesh!

John

I was told last night by a supplier to Square One that Ross's wife will be running the company and that they will remain in business.

Please treat this as second or third hand information, rather than definitive proof.

Thanks for the info bdk.

It's good to hear the company will continue operations. All the best to them.