COLUMBUS, Ohio — A Hilliard man was among the six who reportedly died during an air show crash in Texas Saturday, according to a statement from the Ohio Wing Civil Air Patrol.
10TV's sister station WFAA reported the incident saying the Commemorative Air Force Wings Over Dallas show came to a halt after two historic military planes collided and crashed to the ground, sending plumes of black smoke billowing into the sky.
The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress and a Bell P-63 Kingcobra collided and crashed around 1:20 p.m., the Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement.
Among the crewmembers aboard the Boeing B-17 was Major Curtis Rowe of the Ohio Wing of the Civil Air Patrol who was a mechanic for the B-17.
Colonel Pete Bowden of the Ohio Wing Civil Air Patrol released a statement to Facebook on Sunday which said:
"It is with great sadness that I share the loss of one of our own, Major Curtis J. Rowe. Rowe's family received official notice of his passing late in the evening of November 12th.
"Curt and his fellow crewmembers were lost yesterday while performing an aerial demonstration during Wings Over Dallas in Texas. In addition to more than 30 years of continued service in Civil Air Patrol, Curt also volunteered as a crewmember on a vintage Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress as part of the Commemorative Air Force where he shared his passion for flying.
"Curt's service in Ohio Wing Civil Air Patrol spans over three decades where he held every aircrew rating possible and earned his Command Pilot Rating. Curt served in positions ranging from Safety Officer to Operations Officer at the squadron and wing levels, with his most current position being Ohio Wing Maintenance Officer. Curt touch 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. He also volunteered multiple times over the past decade at the Johnson Flight Academy in Mattoon Illinois.
"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."
The National Transportation Safety Board arrived on scene Sunday morning to investigate the accident and gather a probable cause. A preliminary report of the accident is expected in four to six weeks.
Several NTSB investigators will be examining the following: airworthiness, operations, air traffic control and aircraft performance.
Air show safety - particularly with older military aircraft - has been a concern for years. In 2011, 11 people were killed in Reno, Nevada, when a P-51 Mustang crashed into spectators. In 2019, a bomber crashed in Windsor Locks, Connecticut, killing seven people. The NTSB said then that it had investigated 21 accidents since 1982 involving World War II-era bombers, resulting in 23 deaths.
Wings Over Dallas bills itself as “America’s Premier World War II Airshow,” according to a website advertising the event. The show was scheduled for Nov. 11-13, Veterans Day weekend, and guests were to see more than 40 World War II-era aircrafts.
