The crash occurred at 1:26 PM about three miles northwest of the St. Lucie County International Airport. According to the FAA, the plane took off from the airport on a test flight and was scheduled to return without stopping. The plane crashed into a row of pine trees near about 100 commercial beehives. The bees hampered initial rescue efforts.
Kip was pronounced dead at the scene. The pilot, John Russell, was injured in the crash and taken to the hospital. He was released the next day. Another passenger, Jon Anderson, died in the hospital the next day.
Kip was an airline pilot for Southwest. He and Jon Anderson were longtime friends and classmates at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. “Kip was a great guy and a wonderful friend. From the time Kip discovered the ISB Network in 1993 he missed only one reunion (Long Beach ’98) and that was to attend captains’ school for Southwest airlines,” commented David Wilkerson. “Kip was instrumental in getting former teen club band members from ‘The Sonics’ to reunite and play at the R2K reunion. His dream to locate all original members and have them perform at a reunion will hopefully live on and come to fruition. He will be sorely missed.”
The funeral service was held October 11th at the Catholic Chapel at Newman Hall, Holy Spirit Parish near UC Berkeley.
Kip is survived by his brother Tim and his mother Barbara.
For additional details about the accident and to see the eulogies and tributes, visit Kip's website: mekongbrothers.com/1965/schaaf.htm or the West Point website
defender.west-point.org
The crash occurred at 1:26 PM about three miles northwest of the St. Lucie County International Airport. According to the FAA, the plane took off from the airport on a test flight and was scheduled to return without stopping. The plane crashed into a row of pine trees near about 100 commercial beehives. The bees hampered initial rescue efforts.
Kip was pronounced dead at the scene. The pilot, John Russell, was injured in the crash and taken to the hospital. He was released the next day. Another passenger, Jon Anderson, died in the hospital the next day.
Kip was an airline pilot for Southwest. He and Jon Anderson were longtime friends and classmates at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. “Kip was a great guy and a wonderful friend. From the time Kip discovered the ISB Network in 1993 he missed only one reunion (Long Beach ’98) and that was to attend captains’ school for Southwest airlines,” commented David Wilkerson. “Kip was instrumental in getting former teen club band members from ‘The Sonics’ to reunite and play at the R2K reunion. His dream to locate all original members and have them perform at a reunion will hopefully live on and come to fruition. He will be sorely missed.”
The funeral service was held October 11th at the Catholic Chapel at Newman Hall, Holy Spirit Parish near UC Berkeley.
Kip is survived by his brother Tim and his mother Barbara.
For additional details about the accident and to see the eulogies and tributes, visit Kip's website: mekongbrothers.com/1965/schaaf.htm or the West Point website
defender.west-point.org
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