Russ Francis, who played for the 80s dynasty 49er teams, has been killed in a plane crash in Lake Placid, NY.
Report: Former Patriot Russ Francis killed in Lake Placid plane crash (timesunion.com)
In a cruel twist of fate, Francis was an avid skydiver who, in 1980, was scheduled as a backup if nobody showed up for a particular event. They all arrived, leaving Francis at home - and their plane crashed, killing all on board en route to a drop into Aloha Stadium before a Univ of Hawaii football game.