Russ Francis, a former Kailua High School athlete who went on to star in the NFL and win a Super Bowl with the San Francisco 49ers, was killed in an airplane crash Sunday, according to the Lake Placid News. He was 70 years old.
Lakeplacidnews.com reported that the two people killed in an airplane crash at the Lake Placid Airport on Sunday were identified as Francis, a former NFL tight end who recently purchased the Lake Placid Airways scenic tour business at the airport, and Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association’s Senior Vice President Richard McSpadden.
The crash happened around 4:09 p.m. (EST) at the end of a runway, according to the report.
Francis, who was called “All World” tight end by legendary sportscaster Howard Cosell, grew up wanting to fly, and he spent his life in the sky.
He was a first-round pick of the Patriots out of Oregon in 1975.
Francis spent 14 years in the NFL and played in three Pro Bowls. He also was selected to the All-NFL team in 1976, 1977, 1978 and 1980.
A member of the Hawaii Sports Hall of Fame, Francis was a sportscaster in Hawaii and for ABC, CBS and ESPN after his NFL career.
The NFL star also dabbled in Hawaii politics, losing elections for the Honolulu City Council in 1996 and for the U.S. House of Representatives in 2000 when he ran as a Republican against incumbent Democrat Rep. Patsy Mink.
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