Local News
Mobile EHR Owner Michael Daly and His Father killed in Fort Worth Plane Crash
FORT WORTH, Texas — Authorities have identified the two people killed in Sunday’s fatal plane crash north of Fort Worth as Michael Daly and his father.
The aircraft involved was a Beechcraft C90 King Air (tail number N291CC), a twin-engine turboprop capable of seating up to nine passengers.
The tragic crash occurred in the 12700 block of North Saginaw Boulevard, near Avondale, according to the Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office.
The aircraft went down in what appears to be a vacant truck lot, located just north of a trailer park. The impact caused a massive fire, with thick black smoke visible for miles.
Emergency crews from Fort Worth, Haslet, and Saginaw fire departments responded swiftly to the scene.
Despite their rapid arrival, both occupants of the plane were pronounced dead at the site.
The Beechcraft King Air was owned by Mobile EHR, Inc., a healthcare software development company founded by Michael Daly.
According to his professional profile, Daly was a highly skilled software developer who began programming in 1992 while still in high school.
After graduating in 1996, he launched his career in software development for the oil and gas industry, specializing in C and Assembly programming for embedded systems before transitioning to desktop software when Windows 3.1 was introduced.
By 2008, Daly had advanced to leadership roles in software development and later founded a successful iPad and iPhone app company in 2010, creating advanced healthcare records software. His company focused on .NET, SQL, Silverlight, and Objective-C development.
Michael Daly leaves behind his wife and four children.
Witnesses described hearing a loud explosion moments before spotting flames and smoke rising from the crash site.
A nearby café worker reported that a customer ran inside urging staff to call 911. When witnesses rushed outside, they saw the wreckage engulfed in flames after the plane struck several 18-wheeler-style work trucks parked in the lot.
Surveillance video from a nearby business captured the aircraft’s final moments, showing it descending rapidly before impact.
A business in the area, Revive Wellness and Aesthetics, announced it would close for the day following the tragedy, stating:
“Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone involved in this tragic incident, and we deeply appreciate the first responders for their quick action.”
The Fort Worth Fire Department confirmed both victims were pronounced deceased at the scene.
No injuries on the ground were reported.
Authorities have notified the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), who will conduct a full investigation to determine the cause of the crash.
As of now, officials have not released additional information regarding the flight’s origin or destination.
UPDATE: Search efforts have been suspended following the sinking of the commercial fishing vessel Lily Jean off the coast of Gloucester, Massachusetts, marking another tragic loss for the city’s historic fishing community.
The U.S. Coast Guard was alerted early Friday morning by the vessel’s emergency beacon after it activated in the water; no mayday call was received.
Responders located a debris field, an unoccupied life raft, and one deceased individual in the water.
Six other crew members remain missing and are presumed lost after an extensive air and sea search yielded no additional results.
The Coast Guard cited frigid water temperatures, challenging weather conditions, and the vast search area in its decision to suspend operations.
GLOUCESTER, Mass. — Authorities have identified all seven individuals who lost their lives after the commercial fishing vessel Lily Jean sank approximately 25 miles off Cape Ann, Massachusetts, early Friday morning, marking a devastating loss for Gloucester’s historic fishing community.
The Lily Jean, a commercial fishing vessel measuring between 72 and 80 feet in length and homeported in Gloucester—the nation’s oldest working fishing port—activated its emergency position-indicating radio beacon (EPIRB) at approximately 6:50 a.m. Friday while returning to port.
No mayday call was received, and subsequent attempts to contact the vessel were unsuccessful.
The U.S. Coast Guard immediately launched a large-scale search and rescue operation, deploying an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter and multiple surface assets to the area of the distress signal.
Crews located a debris field and an unoccupied life raft roughly 25 miles offshore near the EPIRB activation site, confirming the vessel had sunk to the ocean floor. One deceased individual was recovered from the water.
The remaining six crew members were later presumed lost after extensive search efforts yielded no additional results.
Officials confirmed that seven people were aboard the vessel at the time of the incident, revising earlier reports that indicated six.
The seven individuals who perished aboard the Lily Jean are:
- John Paul Rousanidis, 33, of Salem/Peabody, Massachusetts
- Sean Therrien, 44, of Lynn/Peabody, Massachusetts
- Freeman Short, of the Marshfield/Scituate area
- Captain Gus Sanfilippo, a well-known and respected Gloucester fisherman
- Paul Beal Sr., deckhand
- Paul Beal Jr., deckhand and son of Paul Beal Sr.
- Jada Samitt, 22, of Virginia
Jada Samitt, the seventh crew member identified, was serving aboard the vessel in the role of a federal fisheries observer with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). She had recently relocated to Massachusetts to pursue her passion for environmental biology, graduating last year. Family members said joining the Lily Jean crew was her first major professional role at sea and a lifelong dream.
Her aunt, Heather Michaels, described Samitt as a compassionate and driven young woman who deeply respected her captain and dedicated herself fully to her work. “She put her heart and soul into this opportunity,” family members said, noting her commitment to marine conservation and the fishing community.
Officials said the Lily Jean had reported taking on water shortly before contact was lost.
The vessel is now presumed fully submerged.
The tragedy has sent shockwaves through Gloucester’s close-knit maritime community.
Ashley Sullivan, a local business owner who knew the vessel’s owner, emphasized the daily risks faced by commercial fishermen. “I hope people really take a moment to understand the sacrifices these men and women make to put food on our tables,” she said. “This is heartbreaking.”
Massachusetts State Senator Bruce Tarr also expressed condolences, highlighting Gloucester’s deep fishing heritage. “Gloucester has a long fishing history, and that history includes tragic loss,” Tarr said. “It appears we are experiencing another of those painful chapters.”
Governor Maura Healey released a statement saying she was “heartbroken over the devastating news out of Gloucester,” adding that her administration has offered full assistance to local officials and the Coast Guard. She extended prayers to the victims’ families and the broader fishing community across Cape Ann and the Commonwealth.
Community members and local businesses have continued to share messages of remembrance and solidarity. Taylor Hunt, a relative of Freeman Short, posted a tribute honoring the crew, writing in part: “The salt has been in our blood for generations… A man is not lost while the sea remembers his name. Fair winds and following seas.”
The Lily Jean had previously been featured on the History Channel series Nor’Easter Men, which documented the dangers and demands of New England’s commercial fishing industry.
While search operations have concluded, the Coast Guard and relevant agencies continue to review the circumstances surrounding the sinking. Officials have stated that further updates will be released as additional information becomes available.
Authorities have urged the public to keep the victims’ families and Gloucester’s fishing community in their thoughts and prayers during this period of profound loss.