The FAA and NTSB are investigating how two seasoned pilots, both senior officers in the Civil Air Patrol, flew into a mountain near Las Vegas Thursday evening. Col. Edwin Lewis, director of operations for CAPs western region, and Col. Dion DeCamp, commander of the Nevada unit, died when their CAP Cessna 182 hit 8,500-ft. Mt. Polosi, about 12 miles southwest of Las Vegas. According to the FAA preliminary report visibility was listed as 10 miles when the aircraft crashed about 7:15 p.m. Lewis retired from Pan Am in 1989 and was a NASA test pilot at Edwards Air Force Base. Hed been the for 50 years and was a former deputy national commander. DeCamp retired from American Airlines in 1994 and was a key organizer of the search for Steve Fossett. They were flying to Lewiss California home after delivering a display aircraft to Aviation Nation, an air show at Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas.
Top Civil Air Patrol Officers Killed
Key Takeaways:
- Two highly experienced Civil Air Patrol (CAP) officers, Col. Edwin Lewis and Col. Dion DeCamp, died when their CAP Cessna 182 crashed into Mt. Polosi near Las Vegas.
- Both pilots were senior CAP officers, retired airline pilots, and held impressive aviation backgrounds, including careers at Pan Am, American Airlines, and NASA.
- The crash occurred as they were flying to Lewis's home after delivering a display aircraft to an air show, with the FAA and NTSB currently investigating the incident.
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