Bedford Plane Crash

Christ what is wrong in the world.I could care less if he killed himself but why a child?

BEDFORD — Police said this evening that the fatal plane crash at Virgil I. Grissom Municipal Airport was intentional.

The preliminary investigation indicates the crash was deliberate, said Indiana State Police spokesman 1st Sgt. Dave Bursten.

Killed in this morning's crash were Eric Johnson, 47, of Bedford, and his daughter Emily Johnson, 8. Their deaths were confirmed by Lawrence County Coroner John Sherrill, who said they died from multiple blunt-force trauma suffered in the crash.

The plane slammed into into the home of Vivian Pace, Johnson’s former mother in-law.

"The reason the investigation has taken this direction," Bursten said in a prepared statement, "is based on information provided by witnesses of the crash, the direction the aircraft was traveling in relation to the airport and the fact the plane crashed into the home of Eric Johnson's former mother-in-law."

The formal cause will not be determined until the National Transportation Safety Board completes its investigation, which could take months.

BEDFORD - The scene at today's airplane crash on Sunny Acres Lane.


Emily Johnson was reported missing by her mother about 10:45 a.m., about the time of the crash.

The plane struck the base of Pace’s home at 517 Sunny Acres Lane. Only the tail section of the single-engine Cessna, which was leased from the airport, was visible from the outside of Pace’s white-sided ranch home.

Pace said she was in her living room when the plane struck the home.

“Everything fell off the walls and …,” she said. “I heard a noise.”

She walked outside and saw the tail section of the plane peeking out. Pace then attempted to call 911, but her phone lines were down. She was on her way to a neighbor’s home when a firefighter drove to her.




“But something was wrong with (the plane), because it made a horrible noise,” she said. Pace was initially concerned for her dog and three Persian cats at the scene.

The plane was preparing to land when it veered 90 degrees before striking the house. Officials at the scene were initially concerned because of a large fuel leak. Firefighters put foam on it, and it was neutralized and did not explode.

Airport Manager Steve Cummings would not comment on the situation, which is being investigated by the Indiana State Police, Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board.

FAA investigators were at the scene by 1 p.m.

LCPD, ISP, Bedford Fire Department, Dunn Memorial Hospital ambulance personnel,

Tabernacle of Praise Emergency Services and Bedford Police Department responded to the scene. Shawswick Township, Pleasant Run Township and Oolitic volunteer fire departments responded to the scene.

Times-Mail Staff Writer Diana Wires welcomes comments at 277-7266 or by e-mail at

That guy must have had a couple of loose screws. Looks to me like he wanted not only to kill himself and his daughter but his ex mother in law too. To much stress from the ex wife and evidently he blamed his ex mother in law for a lot of it.
Really a shame about the little girl. She was just an innocent pawn.

I saw it on the news this morning. Bad deal.

I sure hope there is.

I was talking to my sister tonight,she was telling me that little girl was in my neices class and they were friends..She said she's asking all kinds of questions..She also said the dad was a "homeroom dad" and helped plan parties and things...

This story is unbelievably sad and gets sadder and sadder as time goes on...
I hope that all the children involved in this poor excuse of a man's decision are able to receive the help that they need to express their sadness and grief...it is very important that they do so!