Tragedy struck the opening day of a STOL in Wayne, Nebraska, when a popular backcountry flyer, Tom Dafoe, was killed when he lost control of the 1946 Cessna 140 he was flying. The crash was witnessed by dozens of people at the Wayne MayDay STOL event. The remainder of the competition, which was scheduled to run through the weekend, was canceled following the crash. Dafoe, who worked at jetAviva and who had worked for Textron Aviation for many years prior to that, was 45. He is survived by his wife, five children and one grandchild. The crash happened in an ad hoc event that was more like a conventional short takeoff and landing than the planned STOL Drag event, in which the participating aircraft compete in a low-level out-and-back drag race.
Nebraska STOL Fatality
Key Takeaways:
- A fatal plane crash occurred at the Wayne MayDay STOL event in Wayne, Nebraska, claiming the life of popular backcountry flyer Tom Dafoe.
- Tom Dafoe, 45, a well-known aviator who worked for jetAviva and Textron Aviation, is survived by his wife, five children, and one grandchild.
- The crash, witnessed by many, happened during an ad hoc short takeoff and landing event, not the planned STOL Drag race.
- Following the tragedy, the remainder of the STOL competition, scheduled to run through the weekend, was canceled.
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