James Stokes

Although Roger Nathanson was grounded in his work in Kerrville, his passion was flying. He began to explore aviation with a hang glider about 15 years ago, his wife, Susan Nathanson said, and after that, "he got hooked." Roger Nathanson, 48, and James Stokes, 62, also a Kerrville resident, died Monday when Nathanson's two-seater ultralight aircraft crashed about 10 miles southwest of Fredericksburg in a field near Texas 16. The Texas Department of Public Safety and the Federal Aviation Administration are investigating the crash. FAA authorities said it could take weeks to determine the cause. According to the public safety department, witnesses said the plane's engine sputtered and the aircraft, a 2005 North Wing Design Apache Sport-B, began to spin before it crashed. Nathanson was the registered owner of the plane. FAA officials said the investigation would probably reveal where the plane took off from. Susan Nathanson said her husband and Stokes had known each other for about six months and got along well. They had flown multiple planes together and were experienced pilots. "He was really big on sharing that experience with other people," Nathanson said. "But Roger never flew with anyone unless they were experienced. He would not do that." Stokes was "happily married for forever," owned a private plane and was also a flying enthusiast, his son said. "He just loved to fly," said Jim Stokes, 35. "He died loving what he was doing. He just loved being in the air." Stokes was a dentist, and Nathanson owned a small business that sold water treatment equipment. Susan Nathanson said her husband "just loved being up there where he could see the terrain and everything around him. He just loved the smaller planes." Ultralight planes weigh less than 254 pounds and do not travel more than 55 knots, or about 63 miles per hour, according to the FAA. The plane Nathanson and Stokes flew was gasoline-powered, FAA spokesman Roland Herwig said. Two-person ultralight planes must be registered with the FAA and receive a federal airworthiness certificate. Nathanson's plane was inspected and properly registered, Herwig said. "He wasn't just a fly-by-night pilot," Susan Nathanson said. "Roger studied everything, from the mechanics to all of it. It really was a passion for him."