An 81-year-old Vietnam War veteran died Friday while piloting a plane that crashed in a Colorado field.
Alex Benson Watson, a Nebraska man known to friends and family as Ben, “gained his last wings” after the accident, his family wrote in his diary. Obituary.
The Watsons Beach 35-B33 single-engine commercial plane flew from Chadron, Nebraska, between 7:30 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. Friday, according to the National Transportation Safety Board.
He was heading to Hudson, Colorado, when he crashed in a field in Weld County around 2 p.m. Sources said it was just 80 miles from its intended destination. Preliminary crash report From the Federal Aviation Administration.
Watson was the only passenger. According to reports, the plane was severely damaged and completely destroyed. denver post.
The FAA considers the crash an accident, but federal investigators aren't sure. An investigation has begun but could take up to two years to complete.
Fresh out of college in 1964, Watson served in the U.S. Navy, working his way up to becoming a naval flight instructor. According to his obituary, upon returning home from his tour of duty in the Vietnam War, he was immediately hired by Continental Airlines to work as a second officer on a Boeing 707.
He flew for various airlines throughout his decades-long career, retiring as a decorated pilot in 2003, according to his obituary.
According to his obituary, Watson boasted both the Federal Aviation Administration Wright Brothers “Master Pilot” Award and the Charles Taylor “Master Mechanic” Award, both of which were awarded for his accomplishments in 2019. This is an extremely rare and coveted honor.
