Former Phillies Pitcher Tyson Brummett Dies in a Tragic Plane Crash
Tyson Brummett, a former Phillies Pitcher, died at the age of 35 because of a tragic plane crash on Friday morning.
Brummett was piloting a Cessna 172 plane that took off from South Valley Regional Airport, when the accident happened. The Utah County Sheriff's Office Department reported that the plane crashed in American Fork Canyon, south of Salt Lake City.
Along with Brummett were his friend Alex Ruegner, Ruegner's uncle and aunt, Douglas Blackhurst, and Elaine Blackhurst. Unfortunately, no one survived in the tragic plane crash.
Brummett, a right-handed pitcher from UCLA, was selected by the Phillies in 2007 during the fifth-round draft pick. He pitched professionally for eight seasons and five of it was in the Phillies. The rest were from the minor leagues.
Brummett played in Phillies during the season finale in 2012 as an extra pitcher to replace a worn-out pitching staff. He played against four Washington batters, threw 11 pitches, and struck out two.
According to a published article in The Philadelphia Inquirer, Brummett said he was really nervous after the game in Washington. However, the game played the way it did and he said he "liked it a lot" because of the "opportunity" given to him.
According to the Sheriff's Office, Cessna 172 crashed at an elevation of around 8,500 feet. Due to the impact, Brummett and his companions died.
The plane crash was witnessed by a man and his two sons who were hiking, when they saw the Cessna 172 beginning to turn and spiral downward.
After knowing the fatal death of Brummett, Cody Decker posted on his Twitter account and wrote, "I just want you guys to know. Tyson was an incredible baseball player. An unbelievable teammate. And an even better person. I am proud to have even known him, let alone call him a friend. He was special. @UCLABaseball @bdeano4 #BruinFamily"
Meanwhile, the National Transportation Safety Board said they are now investigating the fatal plane crash.
It can be remembered that NBA star Kobe Bryant also died because of a tragic helicopter crash last January. Aside from Kobe, his daughter Gianna were among nine people killed in the crash. Until now, an investigation on the cause of the helicopter crash is still ongoing.
Kobe's widow, Vanessa Bryant, has already sued the deceased pilot's representative or successor and aircraft's operating company for several acts of negligence including failing to assess and monitor the weather, abort the flight, and failure to keep a safe distance between natural obstacles and the helicopter.