In September 1978 clay Locket went out to the “beginner’s hill” at Simi to practice a few rings because he was to be involved in a ballon drop, and wanted everything to go perfect. At Simi he sustained a head injury after his glider stalled and did a 180 turn back into the hill…reportedly he was trying to get his feet into a stirrup at the time of the stall. Saturday, October 14, 1978 he died. Clay was an expert pilot; a USHGA certified instructor and proprietor of the Santa Monica shop “Hang Gliders of California”.
Clay Lockett was scattered by hang glider on Saturday, August 1, 2009. AFter holding onto her husband for 21 years, Liz decided she was ready to let go. Mr. Lockett was both a private pilot, and hang glider legend. After several discussions with Liz, we decided that a scattering by hang glider would be perfect. I contacted the Hang Glider Association, where he loved to fly. Not only did they give us permission to scatter over their location, but also put me in contact with a hang glider pilot that had been a friend ofClay, and was still flying This was a special scattering gfor me, because I was able to watch the scattering on the ground alone side Clay’s widow as the cremated remains were released and gracefully floated in the air. It was breathtaking to watch Clay have his one final flight. –Jamie