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Atherton attorney dies in crash of home-built plane in Watsonville

by Andrea Gemmet

Atherton resident Gary Lampert, 58, died after his experimental aircraft he was flying caught fire and crashed in an apple orchard near the Watsonville Municipal Airport on Saturday, according to the Santa Cruz County coroner's office and the Federal Aviation Administration.

Mr. Lampert, the only person on-board, was an attorney. He had a law practice in Redwood City and specialized in real estate and development, his father Roland Lampert told The Almanac on Monday.

"Nobody knows what caused the accident," said Roland Lampert. "He radioed to the Oakland Airport while he was flying and said that there was fire and smoke in the cockpit, and he asked to make an emergency landing in Watsonville. Obviously, he didn't make it."

The crash occurred at 1:40 p.m. Saturday as Mr. Lampert attempted to make an emergency landing at Watsonville Municipal Airport. He was returning from visiting an uncle in Scottsdale, Arizona, and he was on his way to the San Carlos airport, his father said.

Mr. Lampert's brother, David, visited the crash site Sunday with four friends and told the Santa Cruz Sentinel that he believes the plane's engine lost its oil, overheated, caught fire and seized up. David Lampert said a groove dug by a propeller blade indicated it was not turning, which means the engine likely had seized up.

Mr. Lampert had been a pilot for about 20 years and had been flying his home-built Lancair Legacy, with tail number N7JX, at about 5,000 feet when he reported the fire.

"It's a very elite aircraft, quite expensive," his father said. "He's flown it for two years. Gary had a lot of hours, he was an accomplished, instrument-rated (pilot)."

Mr. Lampert also logged thousands of hours piloting a helicopter that he used to own, his father said.

An FAA investigator returned to the site of the crash Sunday morning to try to determine what caused the experimental aircraft to crash, FAA spokesman Ian Gregor said. The wreckage is being transported to a storage yard in Sacramento.

The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the crash. An autopsy is planned for this week, said a spokesman for the coroner's office.

A memorial service is planned, but a date has not yet been set. Mr. Lampert is survived by his 19-year-old son, Josh Lampert of Atherton; his parents, Roland and Audrey Lampert of Woodside; and his brother David and sister Julie, both of Atherton.