PHILADELPHIA – Authorities have confirmed that the man killed in a plane crash in Neshoba County Monday afternoon was a former Navy pilot and businessman from Meridian. Forty-eight-year-old Richard Howarth Jr. was pronounced dead at the scene around 12:40 p.m., Jan. 16, after his plane went down shortly after take off.
Howarth, the pilot, was the only person on board the twin-engine, propeller-driven Piper Aerostar went it took off from the Philadelphia Municipal Airport.
The plane crashed about 300 yards east of the runway. The cause is still under investigation.
Dan Cumberland, manager of the Philadelphia airport, said Howarth’s destination was unknown, but authorities have learned that the plane was registered to one of Howarth’s companies, M&H Ventures LLC in Missoula, Mont.
Howarth was the founder and owner of HD Machines, which was headquartered in Meridian with regional offices in Anniston, AL, Greenville, SC, Jacksonville, FL, and Ft Wayne, IN.
Howarth had an extensive history in aviation including working as a pilot for FedEx for 16 years.
The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the incident.
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