Clovis pilot's family asking for prayers

Published: Aug. 10, 2015 at 8:49 PM CDT|Updated: Feb. 8, 2016 at 10:20 PM CST
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LUBBOCK, TX (KCBD) - Monday, a Clovis pilot remains in serious condition at University Medical Center following a plane crash yesterday.

It happened at the Clovis airport at around 9 a.m. Sunday morning.

The pilot, 66-year-old James Bostwick, was traveling from Melrose to Clovis when he reported mechanical failure which resulted in the crash landing.

James' oldest brother, Wendell Bostwick, says James has been a pilot for many years.

He was flown here to UMC yesterday by aero care.

We were told by the hospital that he is still in serious condition, but family are here with him and say he has been conscious this whole time. Wendell says James will face several surgeries down the road of recovery

"And, whenever you get a phone call and it says, 'Is your brother James Bostwick? Yes. He's been in an airplane accident.' That is pretty traumatic, but they come real quick and say that he's still breathing and he's got some gashes… and we're loading him in the ambulance," Wendell Bostwick said.

Wendell says James has been a pilot now for 42 years. He actually got his pilot's license the day he graduated from college.

"He's an excellent, excellent pilot," Wendell said. "He's one of these, that if the book says you go check this, he'll check it at least once and if it's handy, he'll check it twice."

Wendell says James took off from Melrose and says when he was preparing to land his twin engine plane at the Clovis airport, the left engine started to flutter. James try to correct it, but when he did- the right engine started to flutter. But, before he could try to correct the right engine, the plane crashed.

A trip James has taken hundreds of times.

"I know he did his walk around, his pre-flight," Wendell said. "He does all of that regardless, if he flies in and he's gone 20 minutes, he does his pre-flight again. So, that's just the kind of pilot he is."

Wendell says though James is in serious condition and has a long road of recovery, he is in good spirits.

"Personality is the same," Wendell said. "We're believers and know that this is all in God's hands and he's going to take care of this deal."

The plane crash is still under investigation by the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board.

Bostwick's family say they are just asking the community to have him and his doctors in their thoughts and prayers.

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