AAM P-47 possibly down?

[hurricane_yank]

Sad day....

[Ken]

Blues skies and tailwinds ... RIP.

Ken

[TAdan]

The American Airpower Museum posted this statement on their Facebook page...

To our FB Friends,
The Large and extended family of the American Airpower Museum suffered a tragedy on Friday. An extraordinary pilot who understood the powerful message our aircraft represent in telling the story of American Courage and Valor died after bringing our P-47 Thunderbolt to a forced emergency landing in the Hudson River. Bill Gordon was a nationally respected Pilot in our Warbird Community and we are honored to call him one of our own. The FAA and appropriate agencies will determine the reason for the inflight emergency and accident therefore please understand that as a result we will limit our public statement at this time. For the Past 16 years the Thunderbolt has been a potent symbol of our museum, a keystone to our public presentations here and throughout the north east. It is our commitment to Bill, our fraternity of pilots, docents, and ground personnel that our mission will continue, our focus undiminished in presenting these historic aircraft to the new generation so that they better understand our nation's fight to preserve and protect our freedoms. The Museum will stay open this Memorial Day Weekend, we will stand down from Jones Beach airshow operations today and will perform a salute and missing man tribute to our dear friend and pilot Bill Gordon today with the help of our fellow Jones Beach airshow performers. In doing so we keep alive the spirit of what we all hold dear. Our concern right now is making sure the family of our fallen friend, pilot, and colleague is cared for, and our extended Airpower Museum Family. We dedicate the remainder of the weekend's flying in Bill's honor.
Thank you for your support, and sympathies.

[Mark Allen M]

Heartbreakingly tragic. I sat in that P-47 a few times years ago when she was at the Santa Monica Museum of flight.

R.I.P. Bill, condolences to family and friends. So sad.

[Nathan]

I want to cry. Blue skies Bill, thank you for your service. I've seen this P-47 in person several times.



(side note: airplane looks in decent shape)

[Lynn Allen]

Blue Skies Bill...

[cooper9411]

R.I.P. Bill. Most heartfelt condolences to family and friends.

[Robbie Stuart]

This is turning out to be a rough month.
I offer my most sincere condolences to all that are affected by His passing.
Godspeed Sir, & thank you for your dedication to keep our message alive, about the greatest generation!
My thoughts & prayers are with family & friends.
Robbie

[JohnH]

The P-47 has had a remarkable safety record as a Warbird . There have been accidents , but this is actually the first fatal accident. It's sad.

[dirtysidedown430]

If i member right thats the 356 FG paint job or was it 353. There use to be one on display at Air Space in DC. Either way not a good day.

[K5DH]

Terrible news. Most sincere condolences to the AAM crew and family from the VFM crew and family. Godspeed, Bill.

[Scooby]

In the pictures of the aircraft being lifted from the water, the pilots helmet is hanging from the canopy, I wonder if his helmet became entangled.

Sounds like he did a text book landing and was seen struggling to get out.

Very sad, thoughts and prayers for the family.

[Fouga23]

Blue skies

[Dan Jones]

I didn't know the man but my condolences to his family and to those of you here who did. If it's any consolation, by what the airplane looks like, he made a hell of a good job of the ditching.

[hbtcoveralls]

My condolences to the family and everybody involved. I've flown the VFR corridor up the hudson and it was the most frightening flight I ever did. There is literally nowhere to go if something happens. The pilot made a hard choice, the water was the only place you could put down without the potential of hurting people on the ground, and it appears he did a great job but not every story will have a happy ending.
Tom Bowers