I was amazed to see this posting after so many years. This is not a forum that I generally frequent - purely by boredom and fate did I stumble across it.
I think it is actually 19 yrs since Hugh's spectacular departure - I am fairly certain 1986 was the last time I saw him, and the accident was in 1987, but I stand to be corrected.
If any of you can inform me of circumstances, and the technical causes of the accident, I would appreciaite that. On the other side of the world I never did learn the real cause. Everything I heard was from non flying family sources so was probably more emotional than factual.
The tragedy had a real touch of irony for me. Hugh was greatly taken by Ernest K Gann's book, 'Fate is the Hunter.' If you can find that book it is a great read for any pilot. The irony is that Hugh gave up the ag flying life to take what he thought would be a safer form of aviation, given that he had a young son. It was perhaps that change of direction that lead to his demise - but fate truly is the hunter.
So RIP Hugo. You may be long gone but obviously I am not the only one that hasn't forgotten.