Collision with F-16 is family’s second tragedy in a week

Michael Johnson’s body was found Wednesday, July 7.

Johnson was flying his Cessna plane to Myrtle Beach with his father, Mike, when it collided with an F-16 from Shaw Air Force base. Michael Johnson’s brother and sister-in-law, James and Beverly, were found dead Saturday at their Missouri home.

Joseph Johnson, who was piloting the plane, was a ex- minor league baseball pitcher in the Atlanta Braves farm team network.

The second Johnson tragedy has been widely reported in the Midwest, and KCTV 5 said the 16-year-old accused of second-degree murder had reportedly been acting strangely. Aaron Johnson, ejected safely.

“It’s unbelievable. There just aren’t words to express it. I’m dumbfounded that it happened twice in a few days”, Stallworth said of the second tragedy. She said the couple adopted their grandson after they retired and returned to Missouri. He crashed around the Lewisfield Plantation and was taken to Joint Base Charleston’s Medical Clinic for treatment and observation, according to KXAN. “It just can’t be true”.

The collision happened between 2,000 and 3,000 feet altitude, Col. Stephen Jost, the commander of the 20th Fighter Wing at Shaw, said at a news conference Tuesday.

Investigators will look at flight data recorders and interview witnesses, though that is expected to take months, Diaz said.

The Berkeley County Airport, where the Cessna departed from, does not have a control tower so investigators are looking into how much communication Joseph Johnson had with air traffic control, said NTSB spokesman Peter Knudson. He said they recovered identifying information about the pilot and passenger but declined to release their names as he plans to meet with their families Tuesday night.