What is normally a fun-filled weekend at Gunsite Academy in Paulden, Arizona turned tragic this weekend when a twin-engine plane apparently piloted by its owner James Parrish of Terrell, Texas, struck the Academy's seventy-five foot radio tower and crashed in a ball of flames after overflying the facility's campground and dining facilities.

Parrish, 57, his wife Lisa, 54 along with Gunsite instructor Mike Hughes, 65, and his wife Joy, 63, were all killed in the fiery crash. Hughes, a Gunsite instructor since 1991, was a retired Lieutenant from the Denver Police Department.

According to FAA and investigators, the plane had left Bullhead City and was enroute to Prescott when it crashed. The FAA and NTSB have completed their on-site investigation and the crash site has been cleared.

The tightly-knit community of Gunsite Academy students and fans has been shaken by the accident, but a statement on the accident from Gunsite owner Buz Mills has caused reactions ranging from shock to anger.

It appears the four were enroute to a Gunsite event known as the "Knucklehead BBQ" held at the Gunsite campground on the Friday evening preceeding the Gunsite Alumni Shoot (GAS) scheduled for Saturday, October 5.

At approximately 12:30 PM, the Mills statement says the "aircraft made an extremely low pass over the ranch north to south. He then attempted another extremely low pass east to west."

That pass ended in tragedy. "The route of flight was over Cooper's home, over the barn, the old ProShop and the office," Mills statement continued, " The right wing of the aircraft was severed from the aircraft when it struck the radio antenna mast (40' agl) at the north end of the barn. The wing rolled over the aircraft and the aircraft rolled to the right and impacted the ground, inverted, 150 yards west of the office.

When that radio tower fell, it landed just outside the covered dining area, with debris punching a hole through the dining area roof and damaging cars in the parking lot.

Tops of trees were also reportedly clipped off near the office, but no one on the ground was hurt. According to the Mills statement, that was simply good fortune as "we had over 100 people between the Mess Deck and the Proshop and throughout the parking lot having lunch, shopping, making phone clls ans so forth.

"Only by the grace of God," it continued, "was everyone on the ground spared. This incident could have been a major tragedy.

For a tighly-knit community united by a common affection for a firearms training facility that emphasizes safety and responsibility at all times, the news of the loss has touched off reactions ranging from shock and sorrow over the loss to anger and frustration that anyone familiar with Gunsite's strict emphasis on safety would "do something so stupid."

The investigaiton into the cause of the accident continues, but it seems fairly apparent the the official FAA/NTSB investigation will find this one to be a clear case of poor judgement and pilot error.

As always, we'll keep you posted.