My friend and former student died in the crash with Mike. He was so excited to take his first flight in a L39 today. He was a film producer in Hollywood and leaves behind his recently engaged fiancé.
I am deeply saddened by the events which occurred today. I did not know Mike but his passenger today was one of the nicest guys I know.
A mutual friend who introduced him to Mike witnessed the entire event and was the first to respond after the crash.
He told me that he saw flames and smoke from the engine shortly after takeoff. The plane was roughly 75' off the runway when the plane appeared to lose power. He suspected maybe a compressor stall. He saw the plane bank left and it struck the wing, then the nose and finally ended upside down on the canopy. He speculates maybe he was trying to land on the perpendicular taxiway and made the classic error of over banking during a loss of power and stalled. This is pure speculation and I don't want to arm chair quarterback but it's straight from the witnesses' mouth who is both a pilot and A&P.
What a tragedy. I am at a loss for words.