Former NFL tight end Russ Francis was the victim of an untimely plane malfunction on Sunday, with an aircraft he was flying losing engine power shortly after takeoff.
According to The Associated Press (H/T ESPN), Francis and another individual, Richard McSpadden, were in a single-engine Cessna 177 when they experienced a power loss that forced them to attempt a return to the Lake Placid runway in New York. The plane would hit a berm before crashing into a ravine.
“The engine apparently lost power. The pilot, or pilots in this case, turned back toward the runway,” federal investigator Todd Gunther told the AP.
Witnesses claim Francis, a licensed pilot, and McSpadden had radioed the ground crew to say they were flying back to the airport.
Francis, who was 70 at the time of his passing, was a standout TE for the New England Patriots and the San Francisco 49ers. He spent the first six years of his career with the Pats, earning three consecutive Pro Bowl selections from 1977 to 1979 before moving to San Francisco in 1982 and winning a Super Bowl in 1984.
He returned to New England to finish his career with the Pats in 1989.
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The Patriots issued a statement shortly after the news of his death.
TotalProSports would like to extend condolences to Russ’s family, friends, and loved ones.
R.I.P Russ Francis – 1953-2023
