A Hilliard, Ohio, man was one of six victims killed in the midair crash of two historic planes at an air show in Dallas, Texas.
Major Curtis Rowe, 64, a member of the Auxiliary Airmen of the Ohio Wing of the Civil Air Patrol, was a crew chief on a World War II-era B-17 bomber that collided with Bell P-63 Kingcobra during the Wings Over Dallas air show at Dallas Executive Airport. The Civil Air Patrol confirmed Rowe’s death in a post on Facebook.
“It is with great sadness that I share the loss of one of our own, Major Curtis J. Rowe,” the post from Col. Peter Bowden says. “Please take a moment to reflect on the service of Major Curt Rowe as we celebrate his life and contribution to his community, state, and nation.”
Michael Graham, a member of the National Transportation Safety Board, said Sunday that five people were in the B-17 Flying Fortress bomber and a pilot was the only person in the P-63 Kingcobra fighter plane. The aircraft are owned by Commemorative Air Force, the company that put on the air show.
Bowden said Rowe was a member of the Civil Air Patrol for three decades and that he served in several positions. He most recently was maintenance officer.
“Curt touched the lives of thousands of his fellow Civil Air Patrol members, especially when flying cadets during hundreds of orientation flights over the course of his service,” Bowden says.
Terry Barker, a retired pilot who lived in Keller, Texas, and Craig Hutain, 63, of Montgomery, Texas, were among the victims, according to the Dallas Morning News.
The Federal Aviation Administration and NTSB are investigating the crash, which occurred about 1:20 p.m. Saturday.
“One of the things we would probably most likely be trying to determine is why those aircraft were co-altitude in the same air space at the same time,” Graham said Sunday.
