OHIO — The Ohio Wing Civil Air Patrol said an Ohio man was among the six killed in a deadly collision between two military aircraft at a Dallas air show, according to a letter from the commander.
The Commemorative Air Force, which put on the show, identified the victims Monday as Terry Barker, Craig Hutain, Kevin “K5” Michels, Dan Ragan, Leonard “Len” Root and Curt Rowe.
The six died Saturday when a World War II-era bomber collided with a fighter plane and crashed in a ball of flames.
Major Curtis J. Rowe served for more than 30 years according to a letter posted on the Ohio Wing, Civil Air Patrol’s Facebook page.
Rowe, a member of the Ohio Wing Civil Air Patrol, was a crew chief on the B-17, his brother-in-law Andy Keller told The Associated Press on Sunday. Rowe, of Hilliard, Ohio, did air shows several times a year because he fell in love with WWII aircraft, Keller said.
Rowe also volunteered as a crewmember for a vintage Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress as part of the Commemorative Air Force. He served for more than three decades, earning every possible aircrew rating possible and Command Pilot Ranking.
He served from Safety Officer to Operations Officer at squadron and wing levels. His most current position was being Ohio Wing 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,” wrote Col. Pete Bowden, Ohio Wing Commander.
Armin Mizani, the mayor of Keller, Texas, said Barker was a retired pilot who lived in Keller, a town of 50,000, where many of the residents know each other.
“It’s definitely a big loss in our community,” he said. “We’re grieving.”
Barker was an Army veteran who flew helicopters during his military service. He later worked for American Airlines for 36 years before retiring in 2020, Mizani said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
