By By Fredie Carmichael / staff writer
Sept. 15, 2002
A close friend of Hickory pilot Tommy Rose remembered him on Saturday as a hard-working businessman who loved to fly his plane.
Bill May said he had been friends with Rose since childhood. May said he ate lunch with Rose last week before he left for Reno, Nev., where he died in a plane crash at an air race on Friday.
Rose died at about 4:30 p.m. when his sport class racer disintegrated while traveling at about 300 mph and then plunged into sagebrush at the Reno National Championship Air Races.
Funeral arrangements were incomplete Saturday at Barham Funeral Home in Newton County.
Sport class planes are kit-built aircraft powered by a 650 cubic inch engine in the 300 horsepower range. Questair produces one of the kits used for the planes; Rose flew a Questair Venture 20 named "Ramblin' Rose."
Rose was a member of the Mississippi Air National Guard and his family operated Rose Mobile Homes. The accident happened during competition at the air races at the Reno Stead airport.
Reno Air Racing Association President Mike Houghton said in a statement that the plane apparently got caught in wake turbulence or rough air from another plane, which caused the plane's nose to bob and the tail to fall off.
Rose had been competing in the sport class since its inception in 1998. He was making his fourth appearance at the annual air races.
His death was the 15th fatality in the 39-year history of the races and the first since 1999. A moment of silence was observed before Saturday's sport class race.
May said he remembers the last lunch he had with his friend.