A former NFL player who had moved close to Lake Placid passed away on Saturday as a result of injuries he sustained in an aircraft accident. The incident happened close to the runway at the little airfield in the well-known Winter Olympic Village.
Russ Francis had thirteen seasons as an NFL player, split between the San Francisco 49ers and the New England Patriots. The New England Patriots chose the Hawaii native in the first round of the 1975 draft after he graduated from the University of Oregon.
The Adirondack Daily Enterprise said that the three-time Pro Bowler had just bought Lake Placid Airways. Under the previous owner, the modest scenic tour business had been in operation for fifty years.
Francis and another passenger, Senior Vice President Richard McSpadden of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, were in a Cessna 177 Cardinal when the aircraft “experienced an emergency after takeoff,” according to a statement released by the organization, which was also reported by the Adirondack Daily Enterprise. The aircraft missed the runway in its effort to return to the airport. The two occupants perished.
In 1985, while playing for the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XIX against the Miami Dolphins, Francis was victorious. The former tight end assimilated quickly into the little Adirondack town. In an interview with adirondackdailyenterprise.com, North Elba Town Supervisor Derek Doty said, “Russ Francis and I became close friends right away.” His enthusiasm was contagious, and he was thrilled to be a vital member of our community. A horrible accident. I’ll hold off on speaking until after comforting his family. At seventy, Russ Francis was living.
