Pilot Killed In Harford County Plane Crash Identified As Retired Army Major General

HARFORD COUNTY, MD — The pilot killed in a single-engine plane crash that happened shortly after 7 p.m. Tuesday night has been identified as Anthony Potts, 59, who lived at the Aberdeen Proving Ground.

Potts crash-landed the single-engine Piper PA-28 Cherokee airplane in the area of the 3600 block of Old Level Road in Havre de Grace. He was pronounced dead at the scene, and no other injuries or serious property damage was reported. He put the plane down in a nearby field to avoid any additional casualties.

Potts was a recently retired U.S. Army major general who last served as a program executive officer for Command, Control and Communications-Tactical after nearly four decades of service, according to Fox News. He led a 1,600-person team at Aberdeen Proving Ground, a research site for the service, in the development of upgraded body armor, weapons and network technology, among other efforts in the Army's move to redesign its force by next decade.

“The network in all its forms is central to everything the Army does,” Douglas Bush, assistant secretary of the Army for acquisition, logistics and technology, said in late June when Potts retired from the post, according to Stripes.com. “Maj. Gen Potts’ accomplishments in leading network modernization efforts have provided lasting benefits to the Army.”

A father of two, Potts began his service as an Army aviation second lieutenant when he was commissioned in 1986. He served in operations Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom, according to Fox News. He served much of his early career as an AH-64 Apache pilot. His awards include the Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal and Air Medal with Valor.

"Maj. Gen. Potts completed over 36 years of distinguished service," Bryce Dubee, an Army spokesperson, said in a statement to Military.com. "The entire U.S. Army is grateful for his service, and we extend our deepest and most sincere condolences to the entire Potts family."

Potts also served as an attack helicopter platoon leader in Germany, and in staff positions as a logistics officer, an intelligence officer and an operations officer. He served as commander of the U.S. Army's AH-64 Apache Attack Helicopter Training Company and also served in the FORCE XXI experiments in the Digital Force Coordination Cell as Operations Officer for Aviation, Field Artillery and Air Defense, according to his military bio.

Within minutes of the 911 call coming in, upwards of 40 firefighters and EMT from the Level Volunteer Fire Company, Aberdeen Fire Department, Inc., Susquehanna Hose Company, Aberdeen Proving Ground Fire & Emergency Services and Harford County Department of Emergency Services were dispatched but at first, they couldn't find the crash site, according to the Level Volunteer Fire Company.

After an intense and quick search, around 7:33 p.m., the wreckage of the single-engine plane was found in an open field. Potts was the only person in the plane and he was pronounced dead on the scene. No one was injured on the ground.

The incident remains under investigation.