Former Judge Dies In Lancair Accident

Disappeared From Radar In Heavy Weather

A former Illinois state judge was killed over the weekend when his Lancair Legacy went down in heavy weather near Memphis (TN).

Eldon Wendell Durr was 66 years old. He had retired from the bench in 1999 after presiding over a Madison County (IL) court for 16 years.

The FAA called the Shelby County (TN) Sheriff's Office Friday morning to say controllers had lost touch with Durr's aircraft just as a strong thunderstorm passed through the area. Helicopters from the Memphis Police Department and a local television station located the wreckage about 25 miles east of Memphis, according to a sheriff's spokesman.

Madison County Associate Judge Barbara Crowder told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch Durr was "one of the happiest retired people" she ever met. "He built his own plane and lived on a runway. He flew for years. That was his big hobby. It's just a tragic, tragic thing."

FAA Preliminary Accident Report

IDENTIFICATION
Regis#: 511WD Make/Model: EXP Description: EXP- LANCAIR LEGACY
Date: 04/23/2004 Time: 1458

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

LOCATION
City: MEMPHIS State: TN Country: US

DESCRIPTION
ACFT ENCOUNTERED WEATHER 25 NE OF MEM. MEM APPROACH LOST RADIO AND RADAR
WITH ACFT. WRECKAGE WAS LOCATED 25MI NE MEMPHIS, TN. 3517.09N/8933.24W.
THE PASSENGER IS REPORTED FATAL. MEMPHIS, TN

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

WEATHER: SPECI KMEM 231457Z 33009G22KT 25M RA BR BKN010 BKN 030 OVC039

OTHER DATA
Activity: Unknown Phase: Cruise Operation: General Aviation

Departed: 664 Dep Date: Dep. Time:
Destination: ST LOUIS REGIONAL AI Flt Plan: IFR Wx Briefing: Y
Last Radio Cont: 1458Z 24 NE MEM
Last Clearance: 1456Z ALTITUDE DEV APPROACH

FAA FSDO: MEMPHIS, TN (SO25) Entry date: 04/26/2004

<<<The above from Propwash>>>>> http://www.aero-news.net/

What was needed in the panel was WxWorx or NavAir http://www.airgator.com/

Anyway, I've been retired for years, love to fly, am IFR rated and so is my 320, BUT I do not need to be anywhere at any time (consider the concept "retired") ergo, I don't fly through weather beyond the capabilities of either me or the plane.

Scott Krueger AKA Grayhawk
Sky2high@aol.com
II-P N92EX IO320 Aurora, IL (KARR)

LML, where ideas collide and you decide!