Pilot Reportedly En-route To Work At IAH

A Van Aircraft RV-6 went down on takeoff last Wednesday from a private airstrip about three miles north of Boerne, TX, killing the pilot.

Federal Air Marshal John Howard Key, 39, was reportedly en route to work at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston when the single-engine home built aircraft went down near the airstrip beside his home, according to San Antonio Express-News.

Neighbor and witness Anita Porterfield told reporters the plane "plummeted as it banked after take off" before going down in a nearby ravine.

Friend Kirk Riggs described Key as extremely intelligent and highly devoted to protecting commercial air passengers. He said the former Naval aviator flew to Houston five days a week to work providing security on about five daily flights.

According to Kendall County Chief Deputy Matt King, accounts from witnesses suggest Key's plane might have had engine problems just prior to impact.

IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 39AJ        Make/Model: RV6       Description: RV-6
  Date: 05/30/2007     Time: 1530

  Event Type: Accident   Highest Injury: Fatal     Mid Air: N    Missing: N
  Damage: Destroyed

LOCATION
  City: BOERNE   State: TX   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
  AIRCRAFT CRASHED UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES, THE ONE PERSON ON BOARD WAS
  FATALLY INJURED, BOERNE, TX

INJURY DATA      Total Fatal:   1
                 # Crew:   1     Fat:   1     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
                 # Pass:   0     Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
                 # Grnd:         Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   

WEATHER: METAR KSAT 301553Z 18010KT 10SM BKN024 27/21 A2995

OTHER DATA
  Activity: Pleasure      Phase: Unknown      Operation: OTHER

  FAA FSDO: SAN ANTONIO, TX  (SW17)               Entry date: 05/31/2007

FMI: www.faa.gov