Chelton Responds Two Months after Fatal Crash

“We are devastated by this tragedy and our primary concern is for the families,” Gordon Pratt, president of avionics maker Chelton Flight Systems, said of the October 15 accident that killed two high-level employees. It took two months for Chelton’s parent company, Cobham PLC in the UK, to clear a statement. The Lancair IV being flown by Chelton director of training Grant Bailey crashed during an aborted landing at a 2,206-ft long by 40-ft-wide private strip about four nautical miles east-southeast of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. Bailey and Chelton special-mission program manager Barry Boepple were killed. Chelton v-p of engineering Nate Calvin was seriously injured in the crash.