Former Super Bowl Champion Dies in NY Plane Crash

A Super Bowl champion who played 14 season in NFL died in a plane crash in New York over the weekend.

Russ Francis has been identified as one of two victims in a small plane crash that occurred on Sunday at Lake Placid Airport in the town of North Elba, according to New York State Police.

First responders were called just at 4:00 p.m. regarding a Cessna 177 Airplane that had crashed near the airport after striking an earth embankment. Francis and a passenger, Richard McSpadden, 63, were only occupants of the aircraft and both were pronounced dead at the scene.

Reports say Francis history as a pilot spanned nearly a half-century and he was the current president of the Lake Placid Airways, which operated several charter flights and scenic trips in Northern New York.

McSpadden, also a longtime enthusiast, was the senior vice-president of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, according to reports.

Francis was drafted by the New England Patriots in 1975 and would go on to win a championship ring with the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl 19. Over his career, her recorded nearly 400 receptions for more than 5,200 yards and totaled 40 touchdowns.

The National Transportation Safety Administration and the Federal Aviation Administration are investigating the crash, police said.