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Thursday, March 31, 2022

WA/DL Capt. James Edward Degnan

 

~ IN MEMORY ~

Military veteran, WA/DL Capt. James Edward Degnan

June 27, 1945 ~ March 20, 2022

 


From dear friends and family we have learned of the tragic death of retired Western/Delta pilot Captain Jim Degnan, age 76.  The fatal incident occurred on March 20th in Hawaii….various articles are available online or please see below.  Captain Degnan joined Western Airlines 02-07-1977 and retired with Delta Air Lines in 2004 based 030/CVG.  He is survived by his wife Margaret. 

We understand that arrangements have been entrusted to the Kauai Memorial Gardens Funeral Home.  The funeral home website is  https://www.kauaimemorialgardens.com/  Arrangements are not yet known.

Should more news be received we will be sure to pass along those updates.

Thank you,

~ Carol for the PCN 

 

JAMES DEGNAN BIOGRAPHY

Jim was born in Youngstown, Ohio, to Paul and Kathleen Degnan, on June 27, 1945.

 

His interest in flying began after watching airplane activity at the old Toledo metropolitan

airport while still pre-school age. He attended grade school in Toledo Ohio and Monroe

Michigan, and the high school St. Francis DeSales, near Toledo. From there he

attended University of Toledo for a BBA in transportation logistics. Meanwhile, he took

flight lessons at the Toledo municipal airport, and worked with all sorts of aircraft

maintenance and care.

 

At that time, the draft board was active, so after graduation from college in 1968, he

made the choice to join the Navy as a better alternative to ground fighting in the

Vietnam war.

 

The Navy had a short officer candidate school, along with basic single-engine

education, including carrier qualification on the Wasp. At Corpus Christi the aviators

learned formation and multi-engine flying. That was followed by a few months in CA

before joining VP-6 at Barbers Point. The squadron was deployed to Naha, Okinawa,

Cubi Point, and various destinations while flying anti-submarine missions over the

ocean around Viet Nam. Even time spent at “home” on Oahu consisted of many sorties

over the ocean. The P-3 they flew was a 4-engine turboprop, known in airline travel as

the Lockheed Electra.

 

Jim was released from the Navy in 1973, and continued to fly with Nomads, in Detroit,

a travel club using the Electra for jaunts to attractive club destinations, as well as

working as a Naval reservist, and private work as available. 1973 was a time of general

fuel shortage, and the airlines were not hiring.

 

In February, 1977 he started with Western Airlines out of L.A., until Delta bought them.

He lived in Cupertino, CA, and then in Indiana, while based in Cincinnati. He flew for

Delta until 2004, retiring with Margaret to the condo on Kauai.

 

He started with the Civil Air Patrol in August, 2005. There he found the comradeship of

others committed to necessary tasks that allowed emergency notification for all of Kauai

residents, even those without access to usual phone and radio information.

With the help of Lihue civil air patrol, Jim was honored to be awarded recognition for

“Fifty Years of Dedicated Service in Aviation Safety” from the Department of

Transportation Federal Aviation Administration.

………………………………………..

https://www.cap.news/hawaii-wing-mourns-loss-of-two-pilots/ 

Two Civil Air Patrol pilots participating in a Hawaii Wing tsunami alert training mission March 20 perished in an accident on Kaua’i.

“We lost two valued members of our CAP ohana (family) this weekend,” said Col. Chantal Lonergan, Hawaii Wing commander. “Our hearts remain with their families.”

Lt. Col. James E. Degnan and Capt. David J. Parker, both retired military pilots, participating in the wing’s monthly U.S. Air Force-assigned exercises when the accident occurred over land about 3 p.m. Hawaii Standard Time — just 11 minutes into their flight. 

Fire Air 1 responded and located the wreckage of the aircraft on a ridge near the Pihea Trail in Koke’e State Park on the island’s northwest side. Rescuers were unable to reach the crash site until this morning because of the mountainous terrain and inclement weather that moved into the area. The bodies were recovered when the weather cleared. 

Both men were members of the Kaua’i Composite Squadron, based in Lihue. 

Degnan, 76, was the squadron’s operations and alerting officer. Parker, 77, served as the unit’s emergency services officer. Both were experienced pilots and served in the Vietnam War. 

“The Hawaii Wing’s tsunami alert flights are among the most important missions performed by Civil Air Patrol,” Lonergan said. “Our aircrews train year-round and have provided this valuable service for more than 50 years now. Their vigilant efforts have saved countless lives.” 

The training accident's cause is under investigation.

http://www.kathrynsreport.com/2022/03/cessna-172p-skyhawk-n98763-fatal.html

Cessna 172P Skyhawk, N98763: Fatal accident occurred March 20, 2022 in Kekaha, Hawaii

National Transportation Safety Board accident number: ANC22LA025

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Honolulu, Hawaii

Aircraft crashed under unknown circumstances on Kalalau Lookout mountain.

Civil Air Patrol Inc

https://registry.faa.gov/N98763

https://www.cap.news  

KOKE‘E — Two men were killed Sunday when a Civil Air Patrol Cessna 172P Skyhawk crashed in the mountainous terrain about 13 miles north of Kekaha, in Kalalau Valley.

 

The victims were identified by Kaua‘i Police Department as Princeville resident Lt. Col. James E. Degnan, 76, and Kapa‘a resident Captain David J. Parker, 78. They were conducting monthly tsunami-warning practice runs for CAP.

 

“We extend our sincere condolences to the loved ones of James and David, and our partners over at the Civil Air Patrol, whom we work with closely,” said KPD Investigative Services Bureau Assistant Chief Bryson Ponce in a statement. “These individuals were seasoned pilots who were part of our Kaua‘i community, and we know they will be missed deeply.”…………………………………………………

 

https://www.staradvertiser.com

   

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