SLO County air-racing pilot killed in Kern County crash

A veteran San Luis Obispo County pilot was killed Friday when his air-racing plane crashed in Kern County.

The Kern County Fire Department responded to a fatal vintage WWII plane crash Friday morning near Minter Field in Shafter, according to an article from 23ABC.

The agency said the pilot was flying a converted plane in preparation for an air racing competition, according to ABC. Kern County Fire also told ABC that the plane had, “some difficulty on takeoff” prior to the crash.

Witnesses at the scene confirmed to ABC that the pilot was Sherman Smoot, a member of the Board of Directors and past president of the Estrella Warbirds Museum in Paso Robles.

Smoot was the only person on the plane, according to ABC.

The National Transportation Safety Board confirmed to ABC that the plane was a Yakovlev YAK-11 named Czech Mate, an aircraft originally used by the Soviet Air Force. Smoot was preparing to fly the plane in the upcoming Reno Air Races, according to ABC.

Just last week, Smoot piloted ‘Betsy’s Biscuit Bomber,’ a converted WWII C-47 aircraft, out of the Estrella Warbirds Museum, taking 17 veterans for a tour over the Central Coast.

“A heck of a nice guy,” Estrella Warbirds Museum Public Information Officer John Spooner said of Smoot. “He also flew that big green airplane to Normandy in 2019 as part of our commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the Normandy invasion during World War II.”

In a tribute to Smoot, three planes that particpated in a Freedom Flight over the Pinedorado Parade in Cambria Saturday morning flew in a missing man formation upon their return to the Paso Robles airport.

“Sherman brought a wealth of aviation knowledge and experience to the Museum,” one Board member said in an Estrella Warbirds Museum news release from Saturday. “He will be missed and difficult to replace.”

The NTSB and the Federal Aviation Administration are still investigating Friday’s crash, according to ABC.

Navy pilot had a career flying commercial jets

Smoot was born in San Luis Obispo on July 29, 1948, and grew up in the North County at the Paso Robles airport’s old base firehouse, according to his bio on the Estrella Warbirds site.

He joined the Navy in 1971, earned his flight wings in 1972 and served in the Vietnam War, flying off the USS Ranger in the Gulf of Tonkin. After retiring from active duty, he joined Continental Airlines, where he flew as a pilot for 28 years until 2005.

He was also the co-owner of Bella Luna Estate Winery in Templeton.

Smoot is survived by his wife Laurie Zanoli-Smoot, daughter Carly and son Jimmy.

“Sherman was a phenomenal pilot and winemaker to the world, but to us, he was so much more: a husband, dad, grandfather, and friend,” the family said in a statement. “Anyone who knew him knew that he was the life of any party, and he had a gift for making everyone feel like they were part of the family, always willing to offer up a warm conversation and a glass of wine. He had a zest for adventure and living life fully, which he passed on to each of us here at Bella Luna Estate Winery. We will miss him every day, but we know to look to the skies, where he loved to be, and we will find him in every sunrise, sunset, and twinkling star.”

Air-racing community mourns loss of pilot

News of the crash sparked an outpouring of grief from the air-racing community.

“Shocked and saddened to hear about today’s loss of Sherman Smoot in Czech Mate as he prepared for the @RenoAirRaces,” Stephen Bridgewater, deputy editor of Aerospace Magazine, posted on Twitter. “This year was looking like it might’ve finally been Czech Mate’s year but fate dealt a deadly blow today. RIP Aviator.”

Photographer Curtis Noble told 23ABC that Smoot competed in the unlimited class flying a variety of aircraft.

“Unlimited Air Racing in Reno is known as the Bad Boys of Air Racing as they are typically racing modified WWII aircraft,” Noble said. “This year Sherman and Czech Mate were a favorite to win with the current listed field. Sherman is among the legends when it comes to Air Racing, never winning the gold, everyone was excited for this to be the year!”

“Our collective hearts are broken after the loss of Sherman Smoot and Czechmate. Great plane and even greater pilot! Blue skies & Tailwinds, sir,” @LiveAirShowTV posted on Twitter.

This story was originally published September 3, 2022 at 11:34 AM.