Death and Legacy
Anderson was killed on June 27, 1983, near Bad Brückenau, West Germany. With co-pilot Don Ida, and in fear of straying across the border of East Germany or Czechoslovakia, Anderson attempted to release the gondola from the envelope at touchdown. The bolts failed to fire, and a gust re-lofted the vehicle, whereupon the explosive bolts deployed, and both Anderson and Ida were killed in the fall. The locale of the accident is also given as “near the village of Schönderling in the county of Bad Kissingen” in a history of the Gordon Bennett Cup balloon race, in which they were participating as non-competitors at the time.
With his wife Patty, Anderson founded the Anderson Valley Vineyards in 1973. “We have a lot of balloon-themed wines and items," wine expert Angela Le Quieu says. She adds that the label for the winery's Balloon Blush wine always uses a picture from the previous year's Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. His name lives on in the new Anderson-Abruzzo Albuquerque International Balloon Museum in Albuquerque, and in the Maxie Anderson Award, for an Albuquerque “business owner who has demonstrated excellence in business success; reputation; community involvement and leadership; and humanity and humor.”
Read more about this topic: Maxie Anderson
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