Roger Wallace, a 60-year-old father of two, tragically died in an unusual accident when his own toy plane struck him, causing severe injuries. The incident occurred while he was flying the 5ft-wide model aircraft at the Pima County Fairgrounds in Tuscon, Arizona. Wallace lost visibility of the plane due to sunlight, leading to significant damage to his heart and lung as the 3kg plane hit him. Despite efforts from friends and emergency services, Wallace passed away at the scene.
Wallace had been an active member of the Southern Arizona Modelers club for three years, where he engaged in radio-controlled airplane activities. Club President Jerry Knebel expressed shock at the accident, emphasizing that such occurrences were extremely rare in their hobbyist community. Prior to his involvement in model airplane flying, Wallace had been a drag racer at a nearby drag strip but sought a safer pastime.
Knebel highlighted that Wallace had perceived flying as a safer alternative to drag racing, as the club strictly adhered to safety protocols set by the Academy of Model Aeronautics. The club, which prided itself on its accident-free record over many years, always designated a safety officer during flight sessions. Wallace was remembered in his obituary as a kind and lively individual who will be deeply missed by his loved ones.
In a separate incident, Tang Feiji, a well-known aviation content creator, tragically lost his life during a livestream when his twin-rotor aircraft crashed in Jiange County, central China. Despite viewers’ frantic calls for help, Tang, 55, succumbed to the impact and was declared dead at the scene. Tang had a significant online following in Guangyuan City, Sichuan Province, with approximately 100,000 followers on the Chinese social media platform Douyin.