Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) official report

Apollo 8 Astronaut William Anders, 90, Dies in Plane Crash Near Seattle

Jun 8, 2024, 12:24 AM

Apollo 8 astronaut William Anders, known for taking the iconic 'Earthrise' photo in 1968, has died at the age of 90 in a plane crash near Orcas Island, Washington, northwest of Seattle. Anders was piloting a vintage T-34 Mentor aircraft when the crash occurred in a fireball near Friday Harbor. The incident happened on Friday, and search and rescue operations were initially underway. Anders was a key figure in the Apollo 8 mission, the first manned mission to orbit the moon. His death leaves only six survivors from the group of 24 humans who have traveled to the vicinity of the Moon.