SHOCKLEY MELVIN O

CW4 Melvin O. Shockley was a potential VHPA member who died after his tour in Vietnam on 07/20/1988 at the age of 50.1 from Plane Crash
Flight Class 64-3W
Date of Birth 06/17/1938
Served in the U.S. Army
This information was provided by SSN deceased search

More detail on this person: Melvin O Shockley POLICE SAY CIA WITHHELD IDENTITY OF DEAD PILOT By Nell Henderson July 22, 1988 The pilot killed Wednesday in the crash of a twin-engine plane at Dulles International Airport was identified yesterday by Fairways Corp., the private carrier that employed him. Normally, local police are responsible for releasing the identities of accident victims. A Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority police officer said, however, that the department, acting at the request of the Central Intelligence Agency, could not release the pilot's name. "We're trying to be accommodating," the officer said, referring inquiries to Fairways, which is operated by the CIA, according to aviation sources. Several telephone calls to Fairways went unanswered yesterday. However, a man who identified himself as Fairways Corp. President Joseph A. Hexter called The Washington Post yesterday afternoon to read a prepared statement in which the pilot was identified as Melvin Shockley. The statement provided no information on Shockley's age, place of residence or background. CIA spokeswoman Sharon Basso said the agency cannot confirm or deny that it asked airport police to withhold the pilot's name, or that it has any "contractual or proprietary relationship" with Fairways. Hexter would not comment on reports that the private carrier is operated by the CIA. He said in his statement, "Fairways Corp. is a charter airline which flies passengers for the United States government and private companies." Fairways told federal safety investigators that the pilot had worked for the company for three years and was qualified to fly the 19-seat deHavilland-6 Twin Otter, said Ted Lopatkiewicz, a spokesman for the National Transportation Safety Board. The pilot's body was recovered after the twin-engine turboprop crashed and burst into flames beside Dulles' easternmost runway at 4:08 p.m., moments after takeoff. Firefighters found no one else on board.

This information was last updated 08/17/2020

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Date posted on this site: 03/10/2024