HAYMARKET, Va. — Friends are remembering a beloved Prince William County pilot killed in a private plane crash on Sunday.
Officials said a Rockwell International Commander 690A airplane crashed in Fluvanna County before 9 a.m. Sunday. Both the pilot, 63-year-old John Latham of Haymarket, and the passenger, 73-year-old Niiben Ayivorh of Burke, were killed in the crash. The two men were on their way to South Carolina from the Manassas Regional Airport, where Ayivorh also had his own plane, according to the airport’s director.
Cal Brown said he became friends with Latham, a commercial real estate agent and property manager, more than 20 years ago, and was also his financial adviser. Brown said he asked Latham to help him sell his house Gainesville home before moving to Florida a couple of years ago. They’ve seen each other on several occasions since then for charity golf tournaments.
“It was just a real shocker,” Brown told WUSA9. “He was a strong believer in Jesus Christ. He loved God and loved his family. The words that come to my mind about him are love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, kindness, generosity, and self-control. He was just the salt of the earth.”
Kevin Kelly also knew Latham through charity events.
“John, myself, the mutual friend and another friend went on a golf trip years ago to Myrtle Beach and John flew us, such a great memory,” Kelly said in a statement. “He was a good and experienced pilot and it’s hard for me to grasp what may have gone wrong.”
If anything, friends described Latham's quiet approach to serving the community by helping around his church, providing food, and flying senior citizens to certain services.
“He didn’t talk about it,” Brown added. “He was just soft spoken. He did a lot of good for a lot of people, but he didn’t brag about it. He just did it.”
Latham’s family has asked for privacy as they grieve.
Two agents with the National Transportation Safety Board surveyed the scene in Palmyra Tuesday to document the crash site, before moving the wreckage to a facility for further evaluation. NTSB is expected to release a preliminary report within the month, but the final cause won’t be announced for another year or two.
The agency said it's seeking assistance with the recovery of an engine, propeller and other airframe parts that separated as it was flying north to south on a route near Miles Jackson Road in Fluvanna County. Some airplane parts have already been recovered in that area in a debris field that stretches to nearly three miles.
Anyone who locates material believed to be from the airplane, witnessed any part of the crash sequence, or has information they believe is relevant to the investigation should contact the NTSB at witness@ntsb.gov.
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