OSHKOSH, Wis. — Sonex Aircraft officials are reporting that CEO Jeremy Monnett and assembly mechanic Mike Clark died June 2 in an accident involving Sonex Sport Acro N123SX at the east end of Wittman Regional Airport’s runway 9 around 3:30pm.
The cause of the accident remains unknown pending investigation by the FAA, NTSB and Sonex Aircraft.
Sonex Aircraft founder John Monnett made a statement to staff June 3 that Sonex Aircraft will continue to operate “despite the holes left by Jeremy and Mike’s absence.”
“It would unquestionably be Jeremy Monnett’s wish that the Sonex company and the worldwide community of Sonex and AeroConversions customers carry on,” company officials said in a prepared release.
Sonex Sport Acro N123SX first flew in 2007, and has most-recently been fitted with the 100-hp AeroVee Turbo. The engine had accumulated approximately 25 hours of operation in the Sonex Aircraft test cell as part of the AeroVee Turbo development program, and approximately 50 flight hours on N123SX after moving from the test cell to the Sport Acro airframe in the spring of 2014.
Company officials say the engine and airframe’s performance “has been flawless in all respects, including recent long cross-country flights to Florida for the Sebring and SUN ‘n FUN conventions, making its return trip to Oshkosh after SUN ‘n FUN 2015.”
I bought a set of Sonex plans (#140) shortly after they came out. So I had gotten to know Jeremy a bit. (Though the plane is still unfinished.) My deepest sympathies to John, Betty, and the entire Monnett & Sonex families, particularly Jeremy’s wife & children. As well as to the family & friends of Michael Clark.