Brian Coughlin was killed Saturday, October 5th, 2024 while flying his Fokker EV/DVIII.
From the Poughkeepsie Journal:
"The Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome in New York canceled its remaining air shows for the season after a World War I replica plane crashed on Oct. 5, killing 60-year-old pilot and board member Brian Coughlin.
The aerodrome has one of the country's largest collections of antique airplanes and routinely shares that collection with the community through its living history museum and weekly air shows, a display that is at once daring artistry and storytelling.
Coughlin was flying one such plane, a Fokker D.VIII."
"Red Hook Police Department's initial investigation into the fatal crash determined unknown mechanical issues in the plane's engine had caused a fire. The National Transportation Safety Board's investigation into the crash is ongoing and has not determined the cause."
I nice tribute to Brian posted on Youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBh30PLzYJ0I would encourage everyone to search Youtube and the internet for interesting articles about Brian, he seemed like a pretty neat guy.
From his Obituary page:
" Brian spent over 40 years of his life dedicated to the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome. First introduced to the Aerodrome and its legendary founder, Cole Palen, by his father, Brian quickly became enamored with all that the Aerodrome is. He worked as a ground crew member, playing both Sir Percy Goodfellow and the Evil Black Baron in the airshows. He began flying in the airshow in the early 1990s and never looked back. Most recently, he dedicated his time to the Aerodrome as project site manager and became a Trustee in 2023. Brian was instrumental in obtaining the resources necessary for the Aerodrome to improve its infrastructure and oversaw all portions of those projects from design to planning board meetings to construction. He served on the Collections Committee where he was tireless in his efforts to grow and maintain the Aerodrome?s historic planes and artifacts. No Aerodrome project was too small or too large for Brian; he embodied Cole Palen?s spirit like no other at the Aerodrome."
Complete Obituary here:
https://michaelebrownfuneralservices.com/tribute/details/1184/Brian-Coughlin/obituary.htmlI never met Brian although I wish I had. I knew of him through my online following of Rhinebeck over the years, (Rhinebeck is less than an hour away from me here in Warren,) and most recently my research for my Fokker DVIII Aurora build. I liked the markings Brian finished his Fokker in and went with those for my build.
In one of those weird coincidences of life, I was photographing my finished Aurora build at almost the same time of the crash on Saturday afternoon.
The passing of Brian Coughlin has left a huge, sad, empty space in the hearts of the aviation community, Rhinebeck Aerodrome and most especially his loving extended family.
Godspeed Brian, your time here was all too short.
Allan Buttrick
