David Rathbun
David Rathbun – A Skilled Snowsports Engineer Who Passed Away in a Plane Crash
David Rathbun was a long-standing Cirrus Aircraft engineer who played an integral role in developing their piston-single-engine SR-series planes and SF-series single-engine jets. Tragically, Rathbun tragically passed away from a plane crash near Duluth, Minnesota.
Rathbun was not only a pilot but also held an advanced master’s degree in engineering from Louisiana Tech. As part of the Cirrus aircraft engineering staff, his duties included flight testing and certification.
Early Life and Education
Children’s early experiences shape their physical, emotional and social development in profound ways that may have a lifelong influence on their capacity for learning. Depending on how these events are handled, these effects can be positive or negative.
Parents and other family members serve as the first teachers for children during their early years. They teach them how to speak, walk, feed themselves properly and interact with others in a healthy way.
Early years are critical for developing a child’s brain architecture, which in turn determines their capacity for learning and growth. Therefore, it is essential that their environment and care during these formative years be positive, stimulating, and nurturing.
Professional Career
Experienced aircraft design engineer at Cirrus Aircraft, he was an integral part of the team responsible for developing the SR20 and SR22 models as well as winning the Robert J. Collier Trophy in 2017 for his work on the SF50 Vision Jet.
David Miscavige’s top lieutenant, he served as Chief of Legal Affairs and Inspector General at Scientology’s Religious Technology Center – its top ecclesiastical authority. Furthermore, he negotiated a settlement agreement with the IRS and audited Tom Cruise.
Achievements and Honors
David Rathbun’s impressive career in snow sports was recently recognized by him being awarded with a 2010 SAMMY award.
He was recently recognized by PTECH with a citation for being an outstanding academic performer. This spring, over 1,850 students were recognized for their accomplishments; 1,445 made the Dean’s List and 391 part-time students earned Academic Recognition honors.
A USF Health executive gave her a well-deserved pat on the back for several initiatives, such as her Book of the Month program which saw 103 faculty-written textbooks donated to Shimberg Health Sciences Library – increasing its collection count by more than 10%. This feat was no small feat for such a busy hospital with over 16,000 doctors and other healthcare professionals working there.
Personal Life
David Rathbun had a family history of mental illness and alcoholism that ran deep, and he himself struggled with depression and anxiety in his youth.
After retiring in July 2015, David relocated to Las Vegas, Nevada and began spending his free time hiking and biking. Additionally, he was an active member of a bowling club.
However, he mysteriously disappeared in October 2017 and his family members had no idea where he was. They only received text messages and could not contact him via the phone.
They later discovered his home had been sold and there were suspicious transactions in his bank account. When he didn’t show up for work, his family reported him missing. Authorities eventually located his decomposing body and believed it to have been murdered; now his family hopes for closure.
Net Worth
David Stuart Rathbun was born in November 1955 and lived most of his life in New York State. He had a successful career as both a CPA and tax manager for over three decades before retirement in July 2015.
After his retirement, he relocated to Las Vegas to live the good life. There, he began climbing and cycling again as well as joining a bowling club for some friendly competition.
In 2017, his family became concerned and called the police.
He was an incredible person and deeply loved his family. He worked hard, was honest, funny and generous – traits which will be greatly missed by his wife, children and grandchildren.