The following are exerpts from the statement posted on the Experimental Aircraft Association's website Thursday, regarding the loss of aviation legend Scott Crossfield.

EAA is extremely saddened at the loss of legendary aviation pioneer Scott Crossfield, EAA 430120, who died when his Cessna 210 crashed Wednesday after encountering severe weather north of Atlanta, Georgia. Crossfield, a former test pilot and the first person to fly at both Mach 2 and Mach 3, took off from Prattville, Alabama, around 9 a.m. Wednesday en route to Manassas, Virginia. Atlanta ATC reportedly lost contact with Crossfield near Ludville, Georgia late Wednesday morning, and Civil Air Patrol searchers and others discovered the wreckage of the plane early Thursday afternoon near Ranger, Georgia, about 50 miles northwest of Atlanta.

Crossfield, who lived in Herndon, Virginia, was 84.

"Scott certainly earned his place of honor among the greatest pilots in aviation history," said EAA president Tom Poberezny. "We were proud to have him as an EAA member, and he was an active participant in EAA activities and programs from EAA AirVenture Oshkosh to the Countdown to Kitty Hawk program in 2003.

"We were also very proud and humbled by Scott’s expressions of respect toward EAA and its members through the years. We are, of course, devastated by this loss and will miss him very much."

"Scott’s legacy transcends the aviation records he set," Poberezny added. "He was known in the halls of Congress, by the giants of aviation industry, and by the military and test pilot communities. His impact stretched to all segments of aviation and is a testament to the respect he had earned."

FMI: www.eaa.org