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Flew into space aboard the Blue Origin space capsule: (from left to right) Chris Boshuizen, William Shatner, Audrey Powers and Glen de Vries
Photo: Blue Origin / AP / dpa
The entrepreneur Glen de Vries, who flew into space with actor William Shatner last month, was killed in an accident with another person in the United States when a small plane crashed in northern New Jersey, according to local police.
De Vries, 49, of New York City, and one other inmate were aboard the single-engine Cessna 172 that crashed Thursday in a wooded area of Hampton Township.
The plane had taken off from Essex County Airport in Caldwell and was on its way to Sussex Airport when the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) alerted the public safety authorities at around 3 p.m. local time to search for the missing aircraft.
Rescue workers found the wreck around 4 p.m., the FAA said.
De Vries founded Medidata Solutions, a technology company, and was a trustee of Carnegie Mellon University.
The other fatally injured inmate was the owner and head of his family-run flight school.
The National Transport Safety Authority is investigating the crash.
Blue Origin was shaken on Friday by the death of the founder of a software company focused on clinical trials.
"We are devastated by the sudden death of Glen de Vries," said the company in the short message service Twitter.
"He brought so much life and energy to the entire Blue Origin team and the rest of the crew."
jso / AP / AFP
