Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, Virginia
End of Watch: Tuesday, December 19, 1972
Age: 26
Tour of Duty: 10 months
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Aircraft accident
Date of Incident: December 19, 1972
Weapon Used: Not available
Suspect Info: Not available
Game Warden Allen Flippo and Game Warden Donald Gentry were killed in an airplane accident while flying a night patrol, searching for spotlighters in Southampton County, Virginia.
The Piper PA-22 aircraft they were flying caught fire and crashed into trees at the edge of Darden Pond near Newsoms shortly after taking off from Franklin Municipal Airport. The wreckage, discovered upside down and partially submerged in Darden Pond with scorch marks, was found the next day.
Game Warden Flippo was a U.S. Army veteran of the Vietnam War and had served with the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries for 10 months. He was survived by his wife.