A Brookfield real-estate agent died after the plane he was piloting crashed in Easton, Mass., while transporting a cancer patient and his wife on Aug. 12 from Westhampton, N.Y. to Boston”™s Dana-Farber Cancer Institute on behalf of the charity organization Angel Flight Northeast.
Joe Baker worked for McCaffrey Realty Professionals L.L.C., flying missions for Angel Flight in his spare time. The 1956 Beech Bonanza was owned by Janet Keene of Brookfield, and reportedly was first purchased by James Roosevelt, the son of former president Franklin D. Roosevelt.
It was the third fatal crash since May for an Angel Flight organization, after an unblemished safety record over 25 years.
“On behalf of everyone at Dana-Farber, I want to offer our heartfelt condolences to our patient”™s family, and to all the people affected by this tragedy,” said Edward Benz Jr., president of Dana-Farber, in a written statement. “I also want to offer my deepest sympathies to the family of the Angel Flight pilot killed today, and to the people of Angel Flight. Angel Flight volunteers give greatly of themselves and their resources. Their selfless work makes it possible for many people to get lifesaving care that might otherwise be out of reach.”
