Dave Flading, 56, Died in a Plane Crash at the Grand Strand Airport

On Saturday afternoon, David Flading, 56, tragically passed away after being involved in a plane crash at Grand Strand Airport. He was flying a single-engine Piper PA-12 – commonly referred to as a banner plane – when it went down.

The Horry County Coroner’s Office reports that the pilot was from Pennsylvania and had lived in Myrtle Beach for more than 20 years. Authorities state the FAA and National Transportation Safety Board are both investigating the crash.

Early Life and Education

According to Horry County Deputy Coroner Michelle McSpadden, Flading, 56 years old of Myrtle Beach died in an airplane crash Saturday at Grand Strand Airport. He was alone aboard when it crashed, according to McSpadden. He had lived here for more than two decades and worked at Barnstormers Aerial Advertising of North Myrtle Beach; unfortunately the company declined comment regarding the tragedy. WMBF News spoke with Jessica Keefer who knew Flading well; she described him as one of the hardest workers she knew–they loaded UPS trucks together for 14 years when everyone else was sleeping!

Personal Life

Dave Flading worked long hours to provide for his family. He was an exemplary worker, never missing a day at work. Most importantly, Dave loved spending time with his wife and children.

He had been a resident of North Myrtle Beach for more than two decades when on Saturday he tragically passed away from a plane crash at Grand Strand Airport. Horry County Deputy Coroner Michelle McSpadden reported David Flading was flying a banner plane when it went down. At 56 years old and originally from Pennsylvania, Flading had resided in South Carolina for over two decades. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the accident while Federal Aviation Administration also conducts its own investigation. Copyright 2022 by WMBF with All Rights Reserved