Man who died in Pompano Beach crash was a longtime pilot

POMPANO BEACH — The lone pilot who died in a plane crash miles off Pompano Beach has been identified by family as David Fogarty, of Lauderdale-bythe-Sea.

Fogarty’s single-engine Cessna 172 crashed about 15 miles off the beach on Aug. 18. U.S. Coast Guard Southeast officials recovered his body later that day. He took off from Pompano Beach Airpark about 9:30 that morning and crashed into the water about 10:15 a.m., according to FlightAware.

His wife Jane Fogarty said her husband, 65, was a longtime pilot and instructor who taught “thousands and thousands of people to fly” and was determined to become the best Designated Pilot Examiner in the country. Designated Pilot Examiners are designated by the Federal Aviation Administration to conduct checkrides and exams for potential pilots.

Fogarty’s uncle took him on his first flight when he was 13 years old. He went on to work for his family’s business in the plastic industry for 35 years, which led him to live across the world, his wife said. After his career, he returned to his first love — flying.

“If it had wings, he could fly it,” Jane Fogarty said.

Fogarty, who was born in Worcester, Mass., is survived by his wife Jane Fogarty; his daughters Mary Otterson and Kathy Fogarty; his son James Fogarty; his granddaughter Betsy Otterson; and Jane Fogarty’s children and grandchildren, Carly Rabazinski and husband Corey Rabazinski; their children Everly, Emmy and Mason Rabazinski; Lauren Leone and her husband Reed Leone and their son, Mack Leone.