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Loved ones of flight instructor killed in Winter Haven plane crash plan 5K run to advocate for safer skies

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Published  August 28, 2024 2:44pm EDT
Florida
FOX 13 News

Woman honored with aviation scholarship

Carla Bayron reports

WINTER HAVEN, Fla. - A Winter Haven mother is honoring her daughter and three others who were killed in a mid-air plane collision last year.

The NTSB is still investigating the crash that happened on March 7 near the Winter Haven Regional Airport.

Ann Baker wears an airplane necklace in memory of her 24-year-old daughter, Faith Baker Rowe.

"She's my baby girl," said Baker. "Basically, I wear them all the time because I want people to ask about it, like, Oh, you got somebody that flies so I can say, yeah. I did. She was my world." 

Baker and one of Faith's friends want people to know how passionate Faith was about becoming a commercial airline pilot.

READ: Winter Haven plane crash victims identified as loved ones pay tribute

"Faith was a terrific pilot. Faith was a terrific person," said Sam Rowe. "She had a deep love for music and was passionate about her religion. Everybody I talked to who knew her; she made their lives better." 

In fact, Faith only had a month left of her training when the deadly crash happened. She was instructing student pilot, Zachary Mace, when their fixed-wing plane collided with a seaplane carrying two others. The NTSB reported the seaplane didn't have a radio and couldn't communicate traffic advisories with the fixed-wing plane.

"Communication and education," said Baker. "I feel if all those had been stepped up she would be here and all three would be too." 

Baker says she wants something good to come out of her tremendous loss, which is why she's planning a 5K run and walk in her daughter and the other crash victims' honor.  The event is about improving aviation safety and promoting better practices.

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Baker also hopes to bless students with scholarships to give them the opportunity to become pilots, as that's what both Faith and Zack wanted so passionately to be.

"By doing this our hope is we can continue to promote the same thing she wanted which was to see more people in aviation and females in aviation and help them reach where she was and go beyond," said Rowe.

Baker hopes the 5k will become a yearly event so in her death, Faith will help save lives.

"She means everything to me, and I will not stop until something gets done," said Baker. 

The 5k Run is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 26 at the Winter Haven Regional Airport. Registration starts at 7 a.m. and the start time is 8 a.m.

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