Roger Wallace, 60, had switched from drag racing to model planes for a safer hobby, but died after his 3kg aircraft struck him at a fairground in Tucson, Arizona, causing catastrophic injuries

a model plane

It was a large model airplane with engine (Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)

A father-of-two perished in an extraordinary "freak accident" after being struck by his own model aircraft, sustaining fatal injuries.

Roger Wallace, 60, was operating the 5ft-wide remote-controlled plane at the Pima County Fairgrounds in Tuscon, Arizona, when disaster struck. The sun's glare caused him to lose visual contact with the aircraft, and the 3kg model inflicted severe damage to his heart and lung.

Roger collapsed unconscious as his companions attempted to assist him before paramedics arrived. Tragically, their efforts proved futile and he was declared dead at the location.

Roger had been a member of the Southern Arizona Modelers, a radio-controlled aircraft enthusiast group, for three years. Club President Jerry Knebel remarked to the Arizona Daily Star in 2002: "This was not a common thing. This was just the freakiest of freak accidents that could possibly happen.

"No one can believe this. We can't believe it ourselves, and we've been doing this the past 30 years.", reports <a href="https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/us-news/dad-suffers-horror-death-after-36332362" rel="Follow" target="_self">the Mirror</a>.

roger wallace

Roger Wallace died in the tragedy (Image: undefined)

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Roger had previously owned an automotive parts business which he had sold several years earlier, continuing to work for the new proprietors whilst considering retirement before the fatal incident. Before discovering the aircraft club, Roger had participated in drag racing at the local strip - seeking what he believed would be a less dangerous pastime.

Knebel said: "He talked so often about how the flying was safer than the drag strip. He came over because he thought our sport was the safer sport."

The club always ensured one member acted as the safety officer during flights, adhering to the Academy of Model Aeronautics' safety guidelines.

"We pride ourselves on not having any accidents at all. We haven't had one in many, many years,"Knebel added. P

art of Roger's obituary read: "He was a kind, loving, friendly man and so full of life and laughter. He will be greatly missed by all his friends and family."

In a tragic incident last September, an aviation influencer died in front of more than 1,000 fans when his ultralight aircraft plummeted from the sky and burst into flames during a livestream.

Tang Feiji was live broadcasting when his twin-rotor craft took a steep turn and nosedived into Jiange County, central China. Viewers were left horrified, flooding the stream's chat with messages begging for someone to "call the emergency services" and "save him".

Despite their frantic pleas, it was too late, and Tang, 55, was pronounced dead at the scene due to the impact. Tang was a well-known figure in Guangyuan City, Sichuan Province for his frequent flying content, boasting around 100,000 followers on the Chinese social media platform Douyin.