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Plane went down in fog in Stafford
Plane crashes in Stafford County, killing all four onboard.
Date published: 2/24/2006
By KEITH EPPS and BILL FREEHLING
It was a trip that Rick Potter had successfully made many times.
Potter, a local builder and an experienced pilot, regularly flew himself and friends to Winston-Salem, N.C., for sporting events at his alma mater, Wake Forest University.
But this time something went terribly wrong. A single-engine plane piloted by Potter and carrying three passengers crashed while attempting to land in dense fog at the Stafford Regional Airport late Wednesday, instantly killing all four men.
Potter, 49; Albert "Buck" Jacoby, 56; Graham Green III, 57; and Michael Gus Pappas, 46--all well-known area residents--died in the crash.
Potter was a builder from Spotsylvania County and owner of Potter Homes.
Jacoby was a lawyer with the Jacoby and Pantazis firm in Stafford. Pappas was a real-estate investor and owned Atlas Power Wash in Fredericksburg. Green, of Stafford, was a Realtor in Fredericksburg.
Police said the group left Shannon Airport in Spotsylvania about 4 p.m. Wednesday to attend the Wake Forest-Clemson basketball game. Potter was flying his Lancair LC-41 four-seater aircraft.
According to people who knew them, Green regularly accompanied Potter on his jaunts. Jacoby and Pappas agreed to join them sometime Wednesday afternoon.
Jacoby left a note on a counter at his home informing his wife, Elizabeth, of his last-minute plans.
Potter was a member of the Deacon Club, Wake Forest's athletic booster organization. Paul Kennedy, an employee with the university's athletic department, said employees picked up Potter and his guests and returned them to the airport for home games.
After enjoying an overtime Wake Forest victory, the group departed Winston-Salem for the return trip to Fredericksburg.
As the plane neared its Shannon Airport destination, Potter requested to land at the Stafford Regional Airport at 11:37 p.m., said Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Paul Takemoto.
Potter apparently decided that Stafford was a safer option under the weather conditions. The Stafford airport is larger and has more updated equipment, officials said.
The plane was last seen on radar at about 11:40 p.m., state police 1st Sgt. Les Tyler said. Local authorities began looking for the plane at 12:45 a.m. yesterday after it didn't land.
The aircraft was found at 9:11 a.m., Tyler said, about a quarter-mile from the airport runway.
Tyler said it appeared that the pilot was trying to make an east-to-west landing when he aborted his initial attempt.
Read more stories about Stafford
Date published: 2/24/2006
Most recent reader comments:
Thoughts and Prayers
(posted by
tmky
, Sep. 25, 2007 2:41 pm)
As a fellow Rotarian I had the honor of knowing and working with Graham, Buck & Rick. Through their actions, pep talks, & friendship, I learned that ‘service above self’ is not an award, but a reflection of who you are. I’ll always remember them fondly, and I’ll still smile and maybe even laugh a little when I hear an accordion – picturing Graham enthusiastically entertaining a whole new group of friends above. Though I'm now so far away, my thoughts & prayers are with my friends there. Terri McKinney
A Loss for Our Community
(posted by
Tackyduck
, Sep. 25, 2007 2:41 pm)
While misdeads dominate the news, fortuate communities have unsung heros who give more to civic life than they take. We lost four such people Wednesday night. They were, above all, devoted husbands and fathers, and their families deserve our utmost sympathy. People who had not met these four may be unaware of their quiet, steady, and unselfish efforts to improve life for all in our area. I hope everyone who did not know them personally will read of and take inspiration from their lives.
W.A. Alford
Thoughts and Prayers
(posted by
PHILLIPWOLF
, Sep. 25, 2007 2:41 pm)
Our condolences and prayers go out to all the families effected by this tragedy. We are praying for everyone in the families and the professional families dealing with this great loss to them and our community and hope that they will find compfort in knowing their loved ones are in a wonderful place and that they shall all be together again some day in paradise for eternity.
Gods speed
Hughes-Craft Builders
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