This Local Pilot Lost Her Life in a Plane Crash. Her Mother is Honoring Her with a 5K.
by James Coulter
Faith Baker was a local woman of many talents, from being able to play almost any musical instrument to earning all four major pilot licenses.
Unfortunately, even with her superb piloting skills, Faith sadly lost her life in a mid-air plane collision last year.
Faith, along with three other people, lost their lives in a plane crash near the Winter Haven Regional Airport.
She was instructing a student pilot when a seaplane with two other people crashed into her plane. She had recently become a trained flight instructor.
Her mother, Ann Baker, remembers that tragic day all too well. She recalls receiving the phone call about the crash only hours after saying goodbye, and telling her that she loved her.
Unfortunately, the seaplane (that hit the plane Faith and her student pilot were in) was operating contrary to the known traffic pattern with no electrical system, radio or ADSB when the collision happened. Ann hopes to remedy that by raising funds and awareness in an upcoming 5K race.
The Fly with Faith 5K will be hosted on Sat. Oct. 26 at 7 AM at Winter Haven Regional Airport, located at 2073 US-92 in Winter Haven, FL.
Proceeds from the event will go toward the Zachary Mace and Faith Baker Rowe Memorial Scholarship at Polk State College and “Lady Aviators Inc.”
In life, Faith was an adventurous young woman who loved living on the edge, from hiking and camping to skateboarding and biking. To honor her life, her mother, Ann, wanted to host this race.
“[We are] living life the best way we can and just pushing through to honor our daughter however we can,” she said. “I want my daughter to be remembered, and with her death and her students, that changes will be made in a big way because she would be had there been changes.”
5k non profit run to raise funds for Zachary Mace and Faith Baker Rowe Memorial Scholarship at Polk State College and “Lady Aviators Inc” as well as furthering education of aviation safety.
To learn more about the upcoming fundraiser, visit: https://runsignup.com/Race/FL/WinterHaven/FlywithFaithbelievingyouwillbeheard
Ann Baker recently appeared on the Chattin on the Ridge podcast to discuss the fundraiser and the tragic death of her daughter which inspired it. Listen to the full episode when it releases on Acast.
