Fred Phillips Endowed Scholarship in Aviation takes flight at Tech latech.edu - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from latech.edu Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Louisiana oilman dies when kit-built jet crashes into lake
May 24, 2021
FacebookTwitterEmail
SHREVEPORT, La. (AP) — A Louisiana oilman who survived a fatal explosion and house fire in 2019 has died in the crash of a one-seat jet plane assembled from a kit.
Fred L. Phillips of Shreveport died Sunday afternoon when his single-engine SubSonex plane with tail number N465JC crashed into Cross Lake, the Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office said.
He was 73, the coroner’s office said.
Phillips was president and CEO of Phillips Energy Inc., said Oliver Jenkins, chief operating officer of Phillips Energy Investments, a related company.
The plane flew for about nine minutes before crashing, the sheriff’s office said in a news release Sunday. It said several witnesses reported the crash. Phillips’ body was recovered from the plane after divers found it.
It was a sunny Sunday afternoon, great weather for flying.
Fred Phillips, an avid flyer, decided to take his one-seater plane up in the sky for a couple of tricks when the unthinkable happened and his plane crashed into Cross Lake. Phillips was killed in the crash. He was 73.
Phillips, a father and grandfather, was loved by many for his witty and passionate character.
He was the president and CEO of Phillips Energy, Inc. as well as an active member of the Shreveport community. Phillips was the son of Betty and Leonard Phillips who were the benefactors of Betty and Leonard Phillips Deaf Action Center (DAC), where Phillips served as chairman.