Memorial Day Accident Also Seriously Injures Passenger

The pilot of an Air Cam which went down Memorial day in Morgan County, CO, was reportedly killed instantly in the accident. The passenger in the homebuilt twin, the pilot's 42-year-old dauther, was seriously injured.

The 65-year-old pilot has been identified by local police as Richard M. "Rick" Tackabury. The Brush News Tribune reports that Tackabury had recently build the Air Cam (similar aircraft pictured in file photo), and was on his third flight in the airplane when it went down. Witnesses said he apparently lost control of the aircraft during a landing attempt on a grass runway which runs parallel to a state highway at about 1215 local time. The witnesses said the airplane neared the ground, went back into the air, and then went down, impacting the concrete runway at Fort Morgan (CO) Municipal Airport (KFMM).

The passenger, Laura Jean Tacabury, was treated at the scene before being airlifted to North Colorado Medical Center in Greeley, CO.

Local investigators, including the Morgan County Sheriff's Office and the County Coroner, were on the scene for about eight hours. The NTSB is expected to release a preliminary report within 10 working days of the accident.

FMI: www.ntsb.gov