To Tom Norton: I am Sally, Scott’s daughter, child number five of six. Now that I am done crying, may I say how very grateful I am to you for writing that article (“NTSB: Lack of weather update killed Crossfield; Final report cites ATC failure to advise, Crossfield failure to ask,” Oct. 19, 2007 issue). I will never in my life, I think, be able to find the words to express how that NTSB report makes me feel. Either you’ve obtained their actual documentation, as I have, or you are much more intuitive and intelligent than the average Joe (I, of course, do not include Dad’s fabulous circle of friends in this group). You’ve also probably read some of the horrid stuff that’s come out about Dad since that “report.”
I am in the process of writing a book about my father, his last days and flight, reconstructing what happened based on the actual documentation. The NTSB report is a poor representation of the event and represents him as being “lackadaisical” at best and I can’t let that stand.
Dad was, to the end, a consummate professional and nothing less, and I intend to correct the record.
I want to have a section with comments from his friends and colleagues on their perceptions of him as a friend and aviator.
I also intend to have a section that shows what he did for aviation, much of which I am sure most people don’t know. He worked tirelessly to advance aviation. To have his name, his reputation smudged, inaccurately, is wrong. There is much I am still learning of what kept him so busy all those years. He wasn’t a braggart, but his name and reputation meant everything to him.
SALLY CROSSFIELD FARLEY
via email
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