Clanton Pronounced Dead After Edge 540 Practice Session Goes Awry

ANN regrets to report that airshow pilot Chandy Clanton, an accomplished 36 year old airshow pilot, was reported lost at the scene while preparing for a July 11th Tarkio Missouri Airshow hosted by Congressman Sam Graves.

Clanton's monoplane went down in a bean field during the practice session for a show the next day. Local law enforcement reports that the accident occurred Friday afternoon near US Hwy 136 some 75 miles southeast of Omaha, NE. The airshow, the 'Wing Nuts Flying Circus Fly-In' is scheduled for later today (Saturday) at Gould Peterson Memorial Airport. By the time of this report, (0213 EDT, Saturday, 07.11.09), a spokesperson for the show reports that the event is still scheduled to go on.

Clanton was a much celebrated member of the US Unlimited Aerobatic Team, and flew at the 2003 World Championships in Lakeland, Florida, where her bio reports that she was the youngest female pilot. Clanton won the Programme Q flight at the 2007 Championships in Granada, Spain, and was also the only woman named to the 2003 "Stars of Tomorrow" program where she performed before hundreds of thousands of spectators at EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh -- she was the only "Stars" performer invited back for the 2004 and 2005 shows.

Sadly, Clanton leaves two young sons, Harrison and Drew. ANN extends our condolences and prayers to them and the many friends and family who are feeling her loss at this time.

FMI: www.chandyclanton.com, www.wingnutsflyingcircus.com