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Whether you're in the cockpit of a jumbo jet or in a small airplane with a body smaller than a sedan, being a good pilot takes intelligence, intense training, and bravery. Air travel is extremely safe, especially when maintenance regimens and procedures are followed closely, but in the rare case of an in-flight incident, pilots have to go toe-to-toe with danger, and may even be forced to make the ultimate sacrifice.
That kind of courage and self-sacrifice is why pilot Jason McKenzie is being hailed as a hero after his aircraft went down over Augusta, Georgia on Thursday, May 2. Though McKenzie was tragically killed in the crash, the selfless actions he took in his final moments saved the lives of countless others on the ground.
According to @abcworldnews , McKenzie departed nearby Daniels Field Airport at around 7:15 am yesterday morning in a single-engine small aircraft , flying over Augusta, Georgia , when disaster struck almost immediately. According to Savannah's WJCL News , the plane was bound for New Haven, Connecticut , but shortly after take-off, McKenzie tried to turn back to the airfield. For a yet-unknown reason, the plane suddenly descended, clipping a tree and striking power lines, losing control over a heavily-populated residential neighborhood.
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Even with his aircraft hurtling towards the waking neighborhood, McKenzie somehow managed to control his plane just enough to steer it between two homes, narrowly preventing an even greater tragedy. The plane struck a tree on the ground, and unfortunately, McKenzie perished in the fiery crash , but due to his incredible presence of mind inside the cockpit, he spared the lives of the families whose homes he missed.
"We can only credit that pilot for that situation, for having the wherewithal to not involve another structure," praised Augusta Fire Chief Antonio Burden.
A Mourning Community Remembers Jason McKenzie
In the hours that followed McKenzie's untimely demise, scores of people throughout the Augusta community came forward to mourn his loss. Though McKenzie died a true hero , he was greatly loved by his friends and family in life.
According to FOX 54 Augusta , McKenzie was an employee of Augusta University , a beloved husband and father, and a friend to many throughout his community. Rodger Murchison, the former Associate Pastor of the First Baptist Church of Augusta, reflected fondly on his former congregant, whom he'd known since childhood.
"As a church, we're grieving as a community that we saw grow up as a child. And then now we've seen him being very involved in the life of his church. And now he's not here. And what you do is you say thank you, thanking God for the memories," Murchison memorialized.
WRDW-TV reported that some of McKenzie's friends have already visited the crash site to leave memorials, pay their respects, and mourn the sudden, tragic loss of their friend. Though McKenzie's passing has left a void in the lives of his loved ones, he will always be remembered as a hero and a devoted, caring member of his community, up to the bitter end.
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