Thurman Munson was one of the few Yankees I actually liked as a kid. Not a nice guy, from all I've read, but man, could he play, and did he always give it everything he had.
Munson's crash was a little different from Lidle's; he was a fairly experienced pilot (500 hours or so) but had just taken delivery of a Cessna Citation business jet. He was conducting touch-and-go landing practice with a couple of friends along for the ride, and forgot to extend the flaps, hitting the ground about 900 feet short of the runway. Sadly he was the only fatality, the two passengers got out with only minor injuries.
I've seen a ballgame in Thurman Munson Stadium in Akron, OH. Nice little facility, it was a good place to see some AA ball while on a business trip.
}:-)4
Munson's crash is indicative of what typical about many GA pilots. An experienced pilot is a fool if they believe that flap settings are something that can be left for memory. There is a little thing called a 'checklist' to be used and you dont just skip it because you think you will remember, because you wont one time and you might die.
It happens all the time, and GA-ers wont cop to it. Many of them believe that because they can afford the plane and avgas, that they should be left alone.