Aussie man and fiancée die in California plane disaster
It is unknown if Lochie Ferrier was flying the plane that crashed into coastal rocks.
A newly engaged couple have died alongside two others after the light aircraft they were travelling in plummeted and hit rocks at a beach during a joyride in San Francisco. It is not known what caused the crash, however, witnesses reported seeing the plane flying erratically.
Lochie Ferrier — originally from Armidale in NSW — resided in the US after studying aerospace engineering at MIT University. He was a pilot and also built planes. He had only been engaged to fiancée Cassidy Petit for four months before authorities confirmed they had died in the plane crash on Sunday.
Emergency services scrambled to assist passengers when they were notified of the crash, with authorities explaining the light aircraft was found upside down in the water. Investigations are underway to understand what happened, with it unclear if Ferrier was the pilot and if they were travelling in a plane he had built himself.
Fellow pilot pays tribute to 'good guy'
After hearing the news fellow pilot Tim Pickles posted a touching tribute to Ferrier online after the pair had previously flown alongside one another. He admitted he didn't know Ferrier well but the pair had shared a love for speed while flying.
"I flew with Lochie Ferrier a couple of summers ago during a visit to Beta Technologies in Vermont. He was a test pilot," Tim wrote online. "I didn't know him well, but he was a good guy and, in my book, anyone who lets you pull 6 G's in an aircraft with them is a good sort to be around."
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Ferrier was known in the 'experimental aircraft' community, speaking on a podcast last year about his love for experimental flight tests.
Other than their shared enjoyment of flying, Ferrier and fiancée Petit spent a lot of time outdoors together with their social media full of images of them participating in water sports and hiking.
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