William Anders dies in plane crash: Apollo 8 astronaut, 90, named as pilot killed in Washington fireball smash

Daily Mail UK ^ | June 7, 2024 | James Gordon

[Morgana]

Retired American astronaut William Anders, who was part of the Apollo 8 mission in 1968, has died after his small plane crashed into Puget Sound in Washington State.

The 90-year-old died after the small aircraft he was piloting crashed near Orcas Island on Friday, resulting in a fireball as the plane hit the water.

Officials with the United States Coast Guard Pacific Northwest said the crash happened just before 11:45am on Friday.

Video footage shot on the Sound shows the plane flying high in the sky before it plummets as it begins a dive.

Just before the plane began to level off, the aircraft hits the water at speed with not enough altitude for Anders to pull up safely, resulting in a huge splash and fireball.

His son Greg Anders, confirmed his death saying: 'The family is devastated. He was a great pilot and we will miss him terribly.'

The San Juan County Sheriff's Office detailed how the aircraft was an old model that had been flying from north to south when it crashed down into the water and sunk.

The plane that crashed was a vintage Air Force Beech T-34A Mentor that belonged to Anders who was a resident of San Juan County.

Station Bellingham, Air Station Port Angeles, Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife and the U.S. Coast Guard are responding with search and rescue efforts.

Anders' mission fifty six years ago on Christmas Eve 1968, came after a tumultuous year of assassinations, riots and war drew to a close in heroic and hopeful fashion with the three Apollo 8 astronauts reading from the Book of Genesis on live TV as they orbited the moon.

[Texan4Life]

Airline and private pilot Juan Browne discusses the Bill Anders crash.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0aDSMUh9N8

[Texan4Life]

Apollo 8 Commemorative Stamp