Scholarship Honors Pilot Killed in Air Ambulance Accident

The family of Thomas “Tommy” Farquhar, a 23-year-old Canadian pilot who was among six people presumed killed in an air ambulance accident off Massachusetts, has established a scholarship in his memory. The Tommy Farquhar Aviation Scholarship Fund was created at Prairie College in Three Hills, Alberta, to support aspiring pilots interested in using aviation to serve others.

Farquhar moved from Regina, Saskatchewan, to Alberta in 2021 to pursue flight training at Prairie Aviation Training Centre (PATC). He finished in 2023 and later joined Latitude Air Ambulance as a first officer. During his time at Prairie College, Farquhar met his wife, Kayla, who was also studying aviation. The college operates its flight training program in partnership with Mission Aviation Fellowship Canada.

Remembering Farquhar

“Tommy’s passion for life and the joy that he had was evident to everyone around him,” PATC Director Dallas Derksen said in a college statement.

The school remembered Farquhar for his involvement in campus chapel services, musical talents and commitment to helping others. College President and CEO Mark Maxwell also expressed condolences to Farquhar’s family and his colleagues at Latitude Air Ambulance. The family established the scholarship fund through the college to assist future aviation students.

Accident Investigation Continues

Farquhar was serving as first officer aboard a Gulfstream G100 operating as Heartbeat 104 on Oct. 3 when the aircraft was involved in an accident during a medical transport flight from Bermuda to Boston. According to the TSB, the crew reported electrical difficulties before the aircraft descended rapidly and lost contact with air traffic control south of Nantucket.

Search crews subsequently located debris associated with the aircraft, and the U.S. Coast Guard suspended its search Oct. 4. All six occupants, including four crew members, a patient and a family escort, are presumed dead.