Ex-Georgia Senator Killed In Plane Crash

A well-known political figure in Georgia politics was killed along with his wife and the pilot of a small plane, during takeoff Friday in Augusta.

Former state Senate Majority Leader Thomas Allgood Sr., 71, his wife Thelma and the pilot, Steve Patterson, crashed into the wall of a nearby water works building in Augusta, Georgia.

The plane was bound for Maine before 8 a.m. when it crashed just 200 yards past the runway. A witness said it looked like the pilot couldn't get the plane up.

There were no reports of injuries inside the building where the plane hit. Federal Aviation Administration authorities are investigating the exact cause of the crash, which is not known yet.

Allgood, was a member of the state Board of Regents, which governs Georgia's public colleges and universities.

Georgia Governor Roy Barnes called Allgood's death "a terrible loss."

Allgood served in the Senate from 1976 to 1991. He was majority leader from 1981 to 1991.

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