Bob McCann's services, July 15, 2000
Saturday, 11:00 am. Christ Church was filled to standing-room only capacity. Friends, relatives, family and fellow pilots from the Aurora Flyers group and the Columbia Aviation Association were there to celebrate Bob's successful and fulfilled life. He touched many people in a very positive way and we were there to share in his friendship. Bob's sons Byron and Robert were the ushers, and sons Brook and Byron delivered moving eulogies focused on the happy times, accomplishment and learning experiences with their father. Both Brook and Byron are pilots and they stated that their dad died doing what he loved to do. In closing, Byron recited the touching1941 poem "High Flight" by RCAF pilot Magee " Oh, I have slipped the surly bonds of earth................ and touched the face of God. Following the service, the crowd of several hundred arrived at Waverly Country Club for brunch and reception with Bob's wife, Betty, and family. Hal Morley and Fred Ihlenburg overflew Waverly at 12:30pm in two Nanchung CJ6 Yaks at 1,000 feet to pay their respects. Bob was a wonderful person, an involved CAA member and a true friend. On Thursday nights at the club some will look for Bob's face, always with that special gleam in his eye, but he won't be there. Every Saturday when the "Aurora Flyers" launch for breakfast Bob will be with them, but only in spirit. We're happy that we knew him, but sad that he is gone. He will be missed. |
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Services for Bob McCann
| Saturday, July 15th 11:00 am Christ Church Episcopal Link to Christ Church Map 1060 Chandler Road (corner of 10th and A Street Heritage Museum) Lake Oswego 636-5618 Brunch and reception following at: Missing man formation over Waverly with four YCJ-6 YAKs from Aurora at 12:15pm by Hal Morley in YAK 18 and his friends. |
Bob McCann' last flight Bob McCann departed Aurora State Airport in his Cessna 175, N7625M at 8:10am on Saturday, July 8, 2000 bound for Lebanon Airport with a group of fellow CAA club members and local Aurora pilots. The pilots were monitoring 122.75 and Bob had transmitted north of the Salem area but no one heard any communication from Bob in the Lebanon area. He did not arrive in Lebanon, and he did not return to his home Saturday. He was reported missing and the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) was notified. Aurora pilot Phil Richardson and others began a search that continued until dark. As of 2:00 pm Sunday, July 9th CAP had conducted an initial sweep of the flight plan route between Aurora and Lebanon with no results. No ELT signal has been detected. A CAP command post has been established at the Aurora Airport and 6 CAP aircraft were in the air Sunday afternoon with additional planes on the way. Some local pilots were also searching. Several other club members and Aurora pilots arrived at UAO to assist in the search, but the CAP informed them that no additional aircraft are needed at this time. More news will be posted as it becomes available....Channel 2 was on the scene at Aurora and may provide more information during their newscasts on Sunday evening. Sunday July 9 7:40pm..................... The Channel 2 newscast at 6:30pm this evening gave an aviation-positive report on the efforts of the CAP in their search and rescue efforts to find Bob. The search area is being expanded: CAA and Aurora pilots have been asked to assist the CAP with the mission. If you are available to fly on Monday morning (ideally with a slow, high-wing aircraft), or if you are able to be an observer (bring binoculars), please join us at the South End of Aurora State Airport on Monday at 7am to join in the search and rescue mission. For additional details contact Bob Asher 704-7770 CAP Chief or Ted Millar 709-7711 CAA. These are both cell phones. Sunday 10:40pm..................... Ted Millar announced unconfirmed word that the aircraft was located late Sunday night. Then, Channel 2 news coverage at 11pm stated that the aircraft was down in the Bear Creek area near the headwaters of the Molalla River and that rescue teams are on their way to the site. No information is available on the condition of the pilot at this time. This location is considerably east of the last communication made by Bob McCann on 122.75 northwest the Salem area. Monday July 10 6:00am...................... Channel 2 reported that the aircraft was found crashed and badly burned with what appeared to be human remains inside. Bob McCann had been the only person aboard. Monday 1:25pm........................ CAP reported that the aircraft had been located by tracking radar signals from the group of 10 aircraft that had departed Aurora together on Saturday morning. This tracking process is an intensive, time-consuming process and by late Sunday the FAA found a track that led to the east and ended at 4,000 feet. According to the medical examiner, recognition of the remains will need to be done from dental records and post-mortem information would not be able to determine Bob's cause of death. However, the consensus from most who have commented is that a severe physical impairment occurred during the flight which left Bob totally incapacitated. He had made no radio communication beyond the Mt. Angel-Silverton area. It appears that the aircraft flew east with no one able to operate the controls. It impacted and burned at the 4,000 foot level. Bob was an excellent pilot with 40 years of experience. He had once flown this Cessna 175 to Russia. Monday 10 pm.................. Tuesday Morning July 11.................. Services for Bob McCann will be Saturday July 15 at Christ Church in
Lake Oswego, followed by a brunch at he Waverly Country club. |
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Hal Morley, CAA member has organized a missing man formation to be flown over Waverly at 1200 MSL with four YCJ-6 YAKs from Aurora at 12:15pm on Saturday July 15th.
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