Who were Yaacov Nahom and Grant Hustad? Pilots die as plane crashes into SUV, killing 4-year-old Taylor Bishop
Two certified pilots and a four-year-old boy lost their lives in an accident that occurred on Monday, March 12, in Pembroke Pines, Florida. Yaacov Nahom, 63, and Grant Hustad, 71, were trying to emergency land the plane when they crashed into an SUV with two occupants. While the driver Megan Bishop survived, her son Taylor Bishop succumbed to injuries from the devastating accident.
The deceased pilots were trying to land the single-engine Beechcraft Bonanza plane when they lost control and crashed into Megan’s car, which burnt into flames. Investigators have revealed that the plane was forced to turn back towards the airport only moments after taking off due to issues with the engine.
READ MORE
Outrage after woman who killed mother-of-three in drunk-driving crash seen smiling in mugshot
Who were Yaacov Nahom and Grant Hustad?
Records suggest that Nahom and Hustad were both Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certified pilots. It has also been revealed that Nahom was the registered owner of the plane that crashed, but it is yet to be determined who was behind the controls at the time of the accident.
FAA records reportedly show that Nahom received his private pilot certificate in 2017 and Hustad in 2012. The latter was listed as president of aircraft brokerage firm International Aviation Services which is headquartered in Pompano Beach, Florida. According to the company, Hustad had an experience of flying 10,000 hours in more than 45 models of aircraft.
A friend of Nahom’s told Local 10 that the late pilot is survived by his wife, three children, and two granddaughters. Meanwhile, Hustad is survived by his family who “miss him already”. One of Hustad’s neighbors Bill Ranney told the publication, “He was a fastidious, detailed individual and the type of person that if you were in a plane, you’d want him to be the pilot.” He is said to have lived on a sailboat in the water off Las Olas Boulevard.
Who was Taylor Bishop?
Taylor was the only son of Megan, who is a paraprofessional at Hollywood Hills Elementary School. The boy was riding with his mother when the single-engine plane crashed into their vehicle in the area of Southwest 72nd Avenue and 13th Street, near North Perry Airport.
Megan was able to get herself out of the car and was reportedly trying to rescue her son who was stuck in the mangled car when the firefighters arrived. The mother and child were eventually extricated and taken to the Memorial Regional Hospital, where Taylor was pronounced dead.
Over $94,000 raised for Taylor’s funeral
A petition on GoFundMe to raise funds for Taylor’s funeral has received around $94,300 in donations. The fundraiser was started by Amanda Brasso, whose relationship with Taylor is unknown. The summary of the petition states that “100% of the funds gathered will be donated directly to the family of Taylor Bishop for all and any expenses which may arise with incidents such as these.”
“We hope the funds gathered here will be able to not only pay for a proper and beautiful service for Taylor but also to keep his memory alive and his spirit and smile in each and every one of our hearts,” it reads further.