Ex-astronaut who died in Washington plane crash was doing a flyby near a friend’s home, NTSB says

Associated Press

The National Transportation Safety Board has released its preliminary report into the fatal plane crash of former astronaut William Anders. The ex-Apollo 8 astronaut, who took the iconic “Earthrise” photo, died last month after the plane he was piloting alone plummeted into the waters off the San Juan islands in Washington state. According to the NTSB, the 90-year-old Anders had texted a friend saying he planned to do a flyby near her house. During the flyby, his friend saw the left wing drop before the plane plunged toward the water. The NTSB says the friend and another person who took a video of the crash were the only two witnesses to come forward.