Waycross pilot dies in takeoff crash 21 days before second daughter arrives

Tim Scheuing, a 20-year veteran of the Waycross aviation community, died Friday morning after the single-engine aircraft he was piloting crashed during takeoff.

Scheuing, 36, ran Runway One Nine Aviation and served as a flight instructor. His wife, Amanda Scheuing, identified him as the sole pilot on board the Beechcraft BE35.

The FAA reported the crash occurred around 11:15 a.m. on Nov. 6 at Waycross-Ware County Airport. The National Transportation Safety Board has taken the lead on the investigation, with the FAA providing support.

Amanda Scheuing said the couple met when she was 16 and they have been married for 20 years. They have a 16-year-old daughter, and their second child is due in three weeks.

"He was the absolute best person I have ever known," Amanda Scheuing said. "I couldn’t have asked for a better husband or a better father for our kids."

She described her husband as funny and quick-witted, noting he was a helping hand to anyone. The couple celebrated their 20th wedding anniversary this year.

Amanda Scheuing thanked the airport staff, first responders, and the local community for their support following the crash. She said he was loved by everyone and touched so many lives.