Roll of Honor
Robert Francis Purcell
Incident
Federal Agent Robert Purcell and Federal Agent Warren Fleshman were killed in an airplane accident while preparing to land at West Mesa Airport in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The pilot was making a final approach to the airport when the plane crashed approximately five miles west, and several miles north of the landing strip. The two agents were returning from the east coast carrying national security assets and were making their final approach when the Beechcraft plane crashed. The pilot was also killed in the accident. All of the national security assets were accounted for during the recovery operation. Agent Purcell was a U.S. Army veteran of WWII.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife, 2-year-old daughter, mother, and brother.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-FED-D1FDD389- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- August 2, 2026
- Last updated
- August 2, 2026
Honored here by 1 tribute.
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Also honored at salute.nw — U.S. Army. One record, 2 gates. Robert is one person.
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Tributes
I served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Federal Agent Purcell served with the United States Department of Energy.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
Robert Francis Purcell served in the U.S. Army before joining law enforcement.
Federal Agent Robert Francis Purcell is one of 1 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,759 officers honored here.
In DC, 454 of 1,419 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 32% of this state's fallen. That is 32 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At United States Department of Energy - National Nuclear Security Administration - Office of Secure Transportation, 3 of 4 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 75% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Robert Francis Purcell's cause is highlighted.
How Robert Francis Purcell Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Robert Francis Purcell is highlighted in Feb.
Incident Location
Military Service
Robert Francis Purcell served in the U.S. Army before joining law enforcement.
Visit Robert Francis Purcell’s page on salute.nw →
His full service record — units, decorations, where he served — is kept on salute.nw.
Others Who Wore This Badge
3 officers from United States Department of Energy - National Nuclear Security Administration - Office of Secure Transportation are honored on badge.nw.
