Two people on board a small plane that took off from Buckeye Airport at 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday have died after the plane crashed in the Gila Mountains. John McMahon, Buckeye’s airport coordinator, was identified as one of the victims.
The plane was scheduled return to eh Buckeye Airport at 10:00 a.m. the same day.
At 4:00 p.m., with the plane overdue, the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) was asked by Arizona Search and Rescue (AZSAR) to join their efforts to locate it. An MCSO helicopter discovered the wreckage at approximately 4:40 p.m. in the Gila Bend Mountains about 17 miles southwest of Buckeye. It was in a field near a farm service road named Agua Caliente that’s close to old U.S. Route 80.
“The entire city mourns the loss of John,” said Mayor Jackie Meck. “John was a very special man who loved his family, his faith and always saw the very best in people. The city of Buckeye has lost a family member and we will miss him greatly.”
McMahon started with Buckeye in 2012 as a Skilled Maintenance Worker in the Public Works Department. In October of 2013, he became the city’s Airport Coordinator and managed the day to day operations of the airport which included ensuring the airport met both FAA and ADOT regulations, facilities maintenance, working with tenants, managing fuel needs and many other duties. McMahon was the sole employee at the airport.
McMahon was born in Phoenix and moved to Buckeye in 2006. He is survived by his wife and three children.
John’s family has set up a Memorial Fund at Desert Schools Federal Credit Union.