Rick Boardman, a former president of the National Agricultural Aviation Association (NAAA) and longtime aerial application operator in Nebraska, was killed in an accident June 11.
Lindsay Barber, NAAA director of communications and meetings, confirmed the death to AVweb but said no further details were available at this point.
“Rick was the 2015 NAAA President, a respected industry leader and mentor to many in the aerial application industry,” Barber said. “His passion for agricultural aviation and willingness to help others left a lasting impression on everyone who knew him. He will be deeply missed. Our condolences to his wife Mary, his daughters Andrea and Samantha and their families.”
Boardman’s career in agricultural aviation began in the early 1980s after growing up around his family’s aerial application business. He began flying ag aircraft in 1984 and later operated Boardman Aerial Spraying with his brother, Bob, before selling the operation to Aurora Cooperative in 2010. He later started R&M Flying Service, named for Rick and his wife, Mary.
Boardman served on the NAAA board, was the association’s 2015 president and was also involved with the National Agricultural Aviation Research and Education Foundation. According to a STOL Drag pilot profile, Boardman had about 12,000 hours by 2023 and listed his aircraft experience across ag airplanes, Cubs, a Stearman, a Cessna 185 and a Robinson R44.
According to a 2015 profile by Agricultural Aviation, Boardman’s work in industry safety included his participation in a PAASS safety program following the 2007 death of his brother in an ag aviation accident. AgAir Update reported in 2024 that Boardman had been flying aerial application for more than 40 years and continued to focus on mentoring and safety in his operation.
Details of the accident remain unconfirmed, although Aviation Safety Network posted information Friday regarding a June 11 accident involving a Piper PA-36-300 Brave owned by Boardman Air Services LLC. That accident took place near Boardman Aerial Airport (38NE) in Henderson, Nebraska.
