Plane crash at RDU last night.

Todd Breakey · **Posted:** Sat May 28, 2005 12:59 am

I'm sure everyone has heard about the crash in Umsted Park next to RDU last night.

I just heard on the news that the people on the plane we Catherine and Gordon Taylor.

Does anyone know if this is "our" Cathy and Gordon Taylor?

Tonya Mauldin · **Posted:** Sat May 28, 2005 8:29 am

Hmm. Cathy has told me that she flies planes. I don't know if it was them or not. I talked to her on Friday and she didn't mention anything about it.

Arthur McDonald · **Joined:** Fri Aug 29, 2003 1:54 am **Posts:** 2052

WRAL.COM has a video link titled "Two walk away after plane crashes at RDU". Video didn't show the people and didn't name them, but if they're our friends, at least they survived.

Jason Mauldin · **Posted:** Sat May 28, 2005 8:52 am

Here's another story.
http://rdu.news14.com/content/top_stori ... nCookie=33

Todd Breakey · **Posted:** Sat May 28, 2005 10:58 am

That's the article I saw Jason. I didn't know that she flies. That's pretty cool.

If it is them, and I don't see how it couldn't be given the names in the story, I'm glad they are alright. I've lost too many friends to plane crashes. I don't need anymore.

Tonya Mauldin · **Posted:** Sat May 28, 2005 2:18 pm

It very well could be them given this http://www.wral.com/news/4543624/detail.html I know that Cathy does fly planes and the article says that Catherine Taylor was the pilot. She was at work on Friday so if it was them, they are both fine.

Chuck Frank · **Posted:** Sun May 29, 2005 10:29 am

Cathy recently told us she had taken up flying. I sure am glad it turned out OK, we've lost one couple we were friends with and another couple who were customers to plane crashes. Take up racing, it's much safer!

Carl Fisher · **Posted:** Sun May 29, 2005 10:38 am

If it is them, I'd say we've got our Golden Door Handle winner for 2005!

Todd Breakey · **Posted:** Sun May 29, 2005 11:26 am

I second that nomination!!!

Gordon Taylor · **Joined:** Fri Aug 29, 2003 9:19 am **Posts:** 51

Yep, it was Cathie flying and Gordon riding. We're both fine, and Cathie is scheduling an instructor and plane for some practice as soon as they are available and the weather cooperates. I'll be going up with her as soon as she has her confidence back.

Everyone at RDU was very supportive. The manager of the flight school that we rented the airplane from encouraged her to get back up, and told her the next flight is on him. Our son-in-law, who is a chief flight instructor in Oakland, helped a lot by telling Cathie that everyone who flies understands exactly how close they have come themselves to a crash landing. He gave her some good insight into what things to learn from this, both good and bad.

We dodged news crews all weekend, and now we're no longer news. According to neighbors who were interviewed, the FAA investigator told the reporters that another few feet and we would have been into a large tree trunk and not likely to have walked away. We talked to the FAA investigator, who was very nice and even pulled all of our stuff out of the plane while he was in shutting off the ELT the next day.

For the record, Cathie was actually doing a go-around after coming in too fast and flew into trees instead of stalling the airplane. According to the smart people she's talked to, that was a real good decision. Flying at low speed into trees is usually survivable, while a stall from that altitude never is. All of this happened about 10:00 p.m., and nothing around the runway was lit or visible. Runway 32 is a relatively short runway at a right angle to the main runways. We could see an airliner landing from the right on the runway in front of us as Cathie climbed and turned.

The good news is that we'd already had dinner in Greenville before the crash. I would have been really bummed if we'd have crashed on an empty stomach.

On the plus side, I got the Audiovox cruise control installed in her new Mazdaspeed on Friday, and the dealer installed Sirius satellite radio on Saturday. Driving it makes me realize how stiff I've made my Miata.

Aaron Buckley · **Posted:** Tue May 31, 2005 10:55 am

Gordon Taylor wrote:

Yep, it was Cathie flying and Gordon riding. We're both fine, and Cathie is scheduling an instructor and plane for some practice as soon as they are available and the weather cooperates. I'll be going up with her as soon as she has her confidence back.

Everyone at RDU was very supportive. The manager of the flight school that we rented the airplane from encouraged her to get back up, and told her the next flight is on him. Our son-in-law, who is a chief flight instructor in Oakland, helped a lot by telling Cathie that everyone who flies understands exactly how close they have come themselves to a crash landing. He gave her some good insight into what things to learn from this, both good and bad.

We dodged news crews all weekend, and now we're no longer news. According to neighbors who were interviewed, the FAA investigator told the reporters that another few feet and we would have been into a large tree trunk and not likely to have walked away. We talked to the FAA investigator, who was very nice and even pulled all of our stuff out of the plane while he was in shutting off the ELT the next day.

For the record, Cathie was actually doing a go-around after coming in too fast and flew into trees instead of stalling the airplane. According to the smart people she's talked to, that was a real good decision. Flying at low speed into trees is usually survivable, while a stall from that altitude never is. All of this happened about 10:00 p.m., and nothing around the runway was lit or visible. Runway 32 is a relatively short runway at a right angle to the main runways. We could see an airliner landing from the right on the runway in front of us as Cathie climbed and turned.

The good news is that we'd already had dinner in Greenville before the crash. I would have been really bummed if we'd have crashed on an empty stomach.

On the plus side, I got the Audiovox cruise control installed in her new Mazdaspeed on Friday, and the dealer installed Sirius satellite radio on Saturday. Driving it makes me realize how stiff I've made my Miata.

That's in incredible story. I'm glad to hear your both doing well. Wish Cathie well for me. - AB

Vincent Keene · **Posted:** Tue May 31, 2005 10:59 am

Gordon Taylor wrote:

I'll be going up with her as soon as she has her confidence back.

Note: Gordon is a brave man or really supportive of his wife.

Gordon Taylor wrote:

The manager of the flight school that we rented the airplane from encouraged her to get back up, and told her the next flight is on him.

WOW!

This guy is amazing..."I know you just crashed my plane, but to show you there are no hard feelings...here's another one and it's on the house" :shock:

Seriously, we are all glad to hear you are both OK.

Jeff Eng · **Posted:** Tue May 31, 2005 12:04 pm

I just read about what happened. Glad to hear the both of you are doing well.

Jeff

Todd Breakey · **Posted:** Tue May 31, 2005 9:51 pm

Gordon,

I'm glad to hear that you two are alright. I've been flying for about 17 years now and have had my fair share of close calls. And a couple have come on that runway. Runway 32 are RDU is one of the trickiest I've landed on, and I learned to fly at Raleigh East!!! :shock:

I just happen to work at Piedmont Hawthorne, competitor to Southern Jet where you rent from. If you guys are out there during the week between 8 and 4, stop by. Maybe we could do lunch there sometime.

For those who don't know, flying a small airplane is alot like racing, once you get it under your skin, you don't want to stop. Nothing beats the feeling of your first solo or you first cross-country. When you realize that you were a couple of thousand feet above the ground and that YOU have just landed the plane, you get such a feeling of accomplishment. What I'm getting at is this, I don't think that Gordon will have had much say in the matter if she really wants to fly again!!

I still can't believe you guys went to work on Friday though!! I would have been playing the lottery!!

robharvey · **Posted:** Tue May 31, 2005 10:50 pm

Gordon and Cathie,

Just to echo what already been said, we are very thankful the two of you were not hurt. I look forward to sitting down and having a beer with the two of you and hearing more about it.

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Plane crash at RDU last night.

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