A 23-year-old man died after allegedly stealing an aircraft from an Addison, Texas, flight school and crashing in a field on Wednesday night in what appears to be a suicide by aircraft. The national suicide and crisis lifeline phone number is 988 and counsellors are available around the clock.
The man, identified as Logan Timothy James from Stokesdale, North Carolina, was the sole occupant at the time of the crash. According to a release from the Texas Department of Public Safety, James allegedly stole a 2023 Cessna 172S Skyhawk SP (N23107) from ATP Flight School at Addison Airport (KADS), north of downtown Dallas.
CBS Dallas reported flight data showing the aircraft taking off around 6:54 p.m. before heading east, then flying north past Sulphur Springs and Paris. Information from Aviation Safety Network showed a descent of nearly 5,000 FPM before the aircraft crashed in an open field nine miles northeast of Telephone, Texas, at 8:26 p.m.
An audio recording captured the final exchange between the pilot and an ATC controller. “Addison Tower, Career Track 655 is actually going to depart to the east—uh, I’m climbing up through the clouds and then just gonna head out outside of everything. And about right now you’ll probably realize that I’m not gonna listen to y’alls instructions, and I’m heading to East Texas, and I’m Career Track, so, uh, I’m gonna pull the Comm 1 circuit breaker and Comm 2 circuit breaker right as soon as I un-key the mic.”
Tower then calls Career Track 655, asking “Say again?” but there was no response.
Authorities continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the accident.
Mental illness is real. Some of the commenters know nothing about it or have ever lived or had an intimate relationship with some who does. F the airplane. RIP young’n wish you could have gotten the help you needed.
Life is difficult at times. While one may feel alone, it’s important to remember that we are not truly alone; there are people who care. Reach out for support. For Logan, Rest In Peace.
Reporting on sensitive topics such as suicides, especially when involving specific details like the method (in this case, a flight trainer), requires careful consideration and ethical reporting practices. The media should be aware of the potential impact on the audience and the friends and family of the deceased. A C172 is replaceable, the young man is irreplaceable.
In this particular case, the media did its very best, reported the news (and just the news) and even added a line to refer to the suicide help-line.
Readers enjoy a very relaxed environment in terms of being able to comment freely and to share their thoughts and opinions. Many news sites around the globe do not allow any comments.
It is up to each individual to show a minimum of respect, courtesy and piety and therein seem to be challenges for some. A loss of life due to suicide always affects many more people than those involved financially. Its very hard for parents, siblings, friends, colleagues or partners, who may be very hard-pressed to even find out what happened.
Almost lucky are those who’s loved one doesn’t select to go out with a big newsworthy bang that triggers dozens of comments from people who checked their tact, style and class when they got behind a keyboard.
I self-reported and apologized to Russ for my out of tone response yesterday and am glad that Russ opted to clean up by the help of the nuke-button.
Written of Vincent van Gogh, Don McLean’s song “Vincent” evokes some of what may perhaps be universal in all cases involving someone dying by suicide. Don McLean’s lyrics:
There was a boy
Very strange, enchanted boy
They say he wandered very far
Very far over land and sea
A little shy and sad of eye
But very wise was he
And then one day
A magic day he passed my way
Though we talked of many things, fools and kings
This he said to me
“The greatest thing you’ll ever learn
Is just to love and be loved in return”
Starry, starry night
Paint your palette blue and gray
Look out on a summer’s day
With eyes that know the darkness in my soul
Shadows on the hills
Sketch the trees and the daffodils
Catch the breeze and the winter chills
In colors on the snowy linen land
Now I understand
What you tried to say to me
How you suffered for your sanity
How you tried to set them free
They would not listen, they did not know how
Perhaps they’ll listen now
Starry, starry night
Flaming flowers that brightly blaze
Swirling clouds in violet haze
Reflect in Vincent’s eyes of china-blue
Colors changing hue
Morning fields of amber grain
Weathered faces lined in pain
Are soothed beneath the artist’s loving hand
Now I understand
What you tried to say to me
How you suffered for your sanity
And how you tried to set them free
They would not listen, they did not know how
Perhaps they’ll listen now
For they could not love you
But still your love was true
And when no hope was left in sight
On that starry, starry night
You took your life, as lovers often do
But I could’ve told you, Vincent
This world was never meant for
One as beautiful as you
Starry, starry night
Portraits hung in empty halls
Frameless heads on nameless walls
With eyes that watch this world and can’t forget
Like the strangers that you’ve met
The ragged men in ragged clothes
A silver thorn of bloody rose
Lie crushed and broken on the virgin snow
Now I think I know
What you tried to say to me
How you suffered for your sanity
And how you tried to set them free
They would not listen, they’re not listening still
Perhaps they never will
You’re gonna do that for me?
I’m gonna do this for you.
by Don McLean
Rest in peace Logan
If that was your airplane, how much compassion would you have? How conflicted would you be? Be honest with yourself. I’m sure thoughts vary quite a bit. Some would be aloud to be posted, others would be removed. Why? Is one thought, or, comment more valid than another?
If your first reaction to someone dying in something you owned is anger that your thing is gone, you have bigger problems than the loss of that thing.
If Logan Timothy James were your brother or son or friend, how much compassion would you have for the airplane? Why prioritize the value of the airplane over the value of a young man struggling with suicidal thoughts?
It seems some of the previous commenters may have lost sight of the real grief in this situation – the loss of a young man’s life to suicide. In my opinion, comments should convey a respectful and compassionate stance, acknowledging the seriousness of mental health issues and advocating for a more human-centric perspective.
“If Logan Timothy James were your brother or son or friend, how much compassion would you have for the airplane?” Exactly, it all depends on what side of the fence you are on not to mention a myriad of other influences. Are we not allowed to express both sides of the discussion, or, is it only the alleged compassionate side that is allowed to be shown?
How compassionate should one be for a person who decided to take down a plane loaded with passengers, woman, children, infants? It changes things a little bit doesn’t it? Forget men, we don’t count anymore for anything.
Thank you John Kliewer for your post. I have loved and listened to Vincent by Don McClean innumerable times but never really understood the lyrics…until now. What a powerful statement under these tragic circumstances. And for the posters who are having trouble finding empathy for the life we lost in this crash, you might consider asking yourself if the crust of cynicism that is keeping you from it is helping or hindering you and those around you.