Man Killed in Homemade Plane Crash

Image credit: Morgan County Sheriff''s Office

A 65-year-old man was killed and his daughter were seriously injured after the home-built plane they were flying in crashed at a Colorado airport on Monday.

Richard M. "Rick" Tackabury was flying a twin-engine Air Cam experimental kit plane that he had built himself when the crash occurred. He was attempting to land on a grass runway at Colorado's Fort Morgan Airport. According to Morgan County Sherriff Jim Crone, witnesses reported that the plane had been performing touch and go landings when it seemed to signal that it was in trouble. The aircraft rose unexpectedly, did a loop, and collided with the ground between the grass and concrete runways.

Rick Tackabury was killed instantly in the crash. His daughter, 42-year-old Laura Jean Tackabury was airlifted to North Colorado Medical Center with serious injuries, she has since been upgraded to fair condition.

Crone added that although Tackabury was known as a relatively experienced pilot it was only his third time flying this aircraft, an open cockpit cross between an ultra-light and a standard small plane. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the crash.