Apollo 8 Astronaut killed in private plane crash.

TexPatriot

Four Star General
Full Member
Minuteman
Jul 20, 2020
10,258
25,487
William Anders, the Apollo 8 astronaut who took one of the most famous photographs in the world, Earthrise in 1968, died in a plane crash near Orcas Island near Seattle today. He was 90 years old.

RIP, Sir.






There is a video of the actual crash but I didn't post it out of respect for the pilot.
 
Last edited:
Absolutely.
"Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming "Wow! What a Ride!" ― Hunter S. Thompson

And he had a helluva ride.
 
A mistake? A mechanical failure? If I’m 90 and I pull into a loop that ends up being a lawn dart, either I’m doing high risk stuff because I don’t care anymore, or I’m checking out a rigged game called life.
 
Pure speculation on my part........

Seems apparent he was intentionally doing a loop. Appears he was both too low and he wasn't pulling out of the loop at a fast enough rate once he got over the top. If he was higher and/or he pulled out faster, he would have been OK.

At 90 years old, I wonder if he maybe didn't get some bad news from his Doctor and decided "it's been a hell of a run, but I'm going out on my own terms, doing what I love".

Regardless, we lost a good man and a hero. RIP Commander Anders.
 
Last edited:
Intentional loop from too low an altitude. The flying is smooth and controlled right into the water, not really consistent with someone having a medical emergency. Perfectly healthy young stunt pilots crash exactly this way regularly.
 
His elevation was way too low to pull that loopty loo. He completed ony half of the loop when he ran out of sky.

Maybe he was tired of what they'd done to his country and got careless on purpose.
 
Like I said earlier, not an unusual crash. There is no shortage of young healthy and experienced pilots, in all sorts of aircraft, doing this exact same thing. Just a mistake while doing a very unforgiving activity.
 
Honestly good for him. Would you rather die having a good day doing something you have loved since your youth instead of lying in a pool of your own poop in a retirement home while the minimum wage Mexicans buy shit with your credit card.

Like a boss til the end.
 
I'm not saying he checked out on purpose, per se. Maybe he wanted to prove to himself he still had it and fuck 90.
Either way, he went out like a boss.

I flew when I was younger and scared my flight instructor more than once without even trying. I realized that flying on my own would probably not be a long term hobby for me.
 
Last edited: