Anton van Deth, Dwight Frye Obituary, Death – A tragic plane crash in Harnett County on Friday morning claimed the lives of two men, including Anton van Deth, the chief marketing officer for digital commerce platform Spryker. The fatal incident occurred around 9 a.m. when their single-engine Pitts S-2 Special aircraft went down shortly after taking off from the Raleigh Executive Jetport in Sanford.
Van Deth and his passenger, Dwight Frye, were both pronounced dead at the scene. Frye was a flight instructor with the Wings of Carolina Flying Club in Sanford, and both men were reportedly experienced pilots.
According to authorities and witnesses, the small aerobatic plane crashed in a nosedive near Holly Springs Church Road in the town of Broadway, not far from U.S. Highway 421. A 911 caller reported seeing the aircraft spinning out of control before it hit the ground and erupted in flames. “It came spinning down to the ground and it burst in flames,” the caller told dispatchers with a panicked voice.
Witnesses described the plane tumbling in the air before slamming into the ground between NC Wake Boats and two nearby buildings under construction. Fortunately, although workers were on site at the time, no one else was injured in the crash.
“It came straight down out of the sky into the parking lot area,” said 1st Sgt. David Gould of the North Carolina State Highway Patrol. He confirmed that the crash happened just minutes after takeoff, with the flight lasting approximately five to seven minutes.
Federal authorities, including the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), are now leading the investigation into what caused the crash. The aircraft had previously completed several successful flights in the months of April, May, and June, according to data from flightaware.com.
Anton van Deth was known for his adventurous spirit and wide range of interests. A 2023 Spryker press release described him as someone passionate about learning, who enjoyed flying, traveling with his wife, racing cars, woodworking, and playing chess. His career included leadership roles with global tech companies such as Symantec, Red Hat, and Protegrity. Before joining Spryker, he had lived and worked across the U.S., Australia, Japan, and France. He and his wife lived in the River Run community north of Raleigh.
The aviation community and Spryker colleagues have expressed shock and sorrow over the sudden loss of van Deth and Frye. Both men were highly regarded for their expertise and enthusiasm for flying.
The cause of the crash remains unknown at this time. Investigators will review flight data, aircraft maintenance history, weather conditions, and pilot communications as part of their ongoing inquiry. More details are expected to be released as the investigation progresses.
