Former Apollo 8 Astronaut William Anders Dies in Washington Plane Crash

Former Apollo 8 astronaut William Anders tragically died in a plane crash off Washington state while doing a flyby near a friend's house. The National Transportation Safety Board's preliminary report revealed that as the plane approached, witnesses saw the left wing drop, leading to a rapid descent and eventual impact with the water. Witnesses described Anders' usual flyby routines without aerobatic maneuvers. The vintage Beech A45 plane performed a near vertical dive before crashing into the water near Jones Island. Most of the wreckage has been recovered for further examination.