Pilot killed in Beverly plane crash identified by his family as Geoffrey Andrews
The pilot killed in a small plane crash in Beverly, Massachusetts, on Thursday has been identified by his family.
Geoffrey Andrews was piloting the plane when it crashed shortly after takeoff on Thursday on Sam Fonzo Drive in an industrial park near Beverly Regional Airport. A second man in the plane was critically injured. He has not been identified and there is no update on his condition.
"We thank the investigators who we trust will conduct a thorough investigation into what caused this catastrophic loss of life. We also pray for his passenger in the plane and are sending his loved ones strength through this difficult time," said Andrews' family in a statement.
His family said Andrews was a staff scientist at MIT Lincoln Laboratory and graduated from Lehigh University and got his doctorate from Purdue University. They said he loved to fly and was working to become a certified flight instructor.
Andrews is survived by his wife, Gentry, who is expecting their first child in October.
"Beyond his love for flight, Geoffrey was a charismatic, beautiful soul who cared deeply for his family and friends and always had a kind word for others. He was so excited about the upcoming birth of their baby," said his family in a statement.
Beverly plane crash
Police said it appears Andrews was attempting to take off when the plane crashed. The FAA said the plane had just left Beverly and was heading to Ticonderoga Municipal Airport, which is about 100 miles north of Albany, New York. The plane was a Mooney M20F, a four seat, fixed wing aircraft, according to NTSB.
Witnesses at the airport reported seeing a puff of smoke before the plane crashed, according to the NTSB. They explained that it may have been an indication of an engine failure and a "gradual left-hand descending turn" before the plane crashed shortly thereafter.
The NTSB said that a preliminary report should be released within two weeks about what led to the crash.
