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10/02/23 12:52:00
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10/02 12:50 CDT Plane crash in Lake Placid kills 2, including former NFL player
Russ Francis of Patriots, 49ers
Plane crash in Lake Placid kills 2, including former NFL player Russ Francis of
Patriots, 49ers
LAKE PLACID, N.Y. (AP) --- Former NFL tight end Russ Francis, a three-time Pro
Bowl selection with the New England Patriots who won a Super Bowl with the 1984
San Francisco 49ers, was killed along with another aviation enthusiast when the
single-engine plane the two men were in crashed shortly after takeoff from an
airport in upstate New York, authorities said Monday.
Francis, 70, and Richard McSpadden, 63, had taken off from the Lake Placid
Airport shortly after 4 p.m. Sunday in a Cessna 177 plane when the plane had
some kind of problem. The New York State Police said it crashed into an
embankment at the corner of the airport.
Francis was president of Lake Placid Airways, which runs charter and scenic
flights. A longtime flying enthusiast, the airline's website said he had been a
pilot for almost 50 years, and had run a charter service in Hawaii. McSpadden
was a senior vice president at the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association,
which advocates around general aviation. The organization said his career
included a stint as commander of the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds.
Francis was a Patriots first-round draft pick in 1975 and played in New England
until 1980, making the franchise's all-decade team for the 1970s and the 35th
anniversary team. He was named to the Pro Bowl three straight seasons from
1977-79.
"Russ was a fan favorite throughout his playing career," Patriots owner Robert
Kraft said in a statement. "He was a dynamic player on the field who had an
even bigger personality off it. He knew no boundaries, pushed the limits and
lived his life to the fullest."
Francis joined the San Francisco 49ers in 1982 and was part of the 1984 team
that beat Miam in the Super Bowl. He returned to New England in 1987 and
retired the year after. In all, he had 393 receptions for 5,262 yards and 40
touchdowns.
The crash is under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board.
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