California plane crash victim escaped death on NYC trip, only to die 34 days later
California plane crash victim escaped death on NYC trip, only to die 34 days later
By George Watson, Staff Writer
Inland Valley Daily Bulletin
11/16/2006
Last month, Bob Cartwright learned that his friend and personal pilot died in the plane crash that killed a New York Yankees pitcher. Cartwright, known for his public service around Big Bear Valley, could not believe it.
"I was supposed to be on that plane," Cartwright told friends at the time. The pilot, Tyler Stanger, had invited Cartwright and Rod Watkins, a mutual friend, to a playoff game between the Yankees and the Detroit Tigers, but neither could make the trip.
Thirty-four days later, Cartwright got caught in a strange and sad twist of fate.
Cartwright died Tuesday at the age of 68 with two other men in a plane that crashed into the shoreline of Big Bear Lake, which is near his mountain home in nearby Sugarloaf. The twin-engine plane had just taken off from Big Bear City Airport and witnesses reported seeing smoke coming from it.
The other two men have not been identified by authorities. But news reports and friends have stated one passenger was Bob McNutt, president of the local Airport Board, and the pilot was Danny Stokes, 52, owner of a Covina business and former resident of West Covina, who was hired by Cartwright to replace Stanger.
"Bob (Cartwright) had his pilot's license but he didn't have his medical clearance," said Watkins, the general manager of the Big Bear City Community Services District.
The Oct. 11 crash into the 30th story of an Upper West Side high-rise shocked Cartwright, Watkins said. The accident also killed Cory Lidle, a right-handed hurler for the Yankees.
"It hit him very hard," Watkins said. "We were all close friends."
Cartwright also invited Watkins to join him Tuesday on the flight - a recreational trip to Las Vegas.
Once again, Watkins could not go - and for a second time, Watkins avoided disaster. The turn of events has left him shaken.
Cartwright worked with Watkins during his four years serving on the Community Services District.
"Great guy," Watkins said of Cartwright. "Very friendly. Very generous and willing to help everybody and anybody."
During Cartwright's working life, he owned a satellite television franchise with 1,900 employees that served everything west of Colorado, Watkins said. He had other area businesses and was a long time resident of the San Bernardino Mountains.
As an example of his generosity, when the Big Bear firefighters "passed the boot" to collect money for the five firefighters killed in the Esperanza Fire, Cartwright promised to match it, Watkins said.
A day before his death, Cartwright was elected president of the local senior citizen's group, and he has been president of the local AARP chapter, Watkins said.
On election night, Cartwright worked for hours for a local television news show giving commentary on election results, Watkins said.
On Wednesday, officials with the National Transportation Safety Board continued to salvage the wreckage of the Cessna 421. Remains of the aircraft were transported to a hangar in the Palmdale area for further examination, said Paul Schlamm, spokesman for the NTSB in Washington, D.C.
Officials also planned to interview witnesses before wrapping up the investigation on site.
"There are some people at the airport who saw the plane take off and leave, and there were others who were across the lake at the time the plane went down," Schlamm said.
A preliminary report on the cause of the crash is expected to be released in four business days, said Tiffany Swantek, a San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department spokeswoman.
Staff Writer Melissa Pinion-Whitt contributed to this report.
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