Horror as daughter see her father, 65, killed when he crashed homemade plane but she survives in wreckage
A 65-year-old Colorado man was killed and his daughter seriously injured after the home built plane they were flying crashed into a field.
Richard M. Tackabury, from Wiggins in Morgan County, was taking his twin-engine Air Cam experimental kit plane for its third flight with daughter Laura Jean Tackabury, 42, on Monday, according to 9News.
But the pilot appeared to lose control of the aircraft when he attempted a landing at Fort Morgan airport and it crashed into a grass runway.
Killed: Richard M. Tackabury, pictured, was killed and his daughter seriously injured after the home built plane they were flying crashed into a field
Mr Tackabury was killed instantly and his daughter was treated on the scene by Morgan County paramedics and Fort Morgan Fire Department before being airlifted to North Colorado Medical Center in Greeley.
She is now in fair condition at the hospital.
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An experienced pilot, Tackabury had built the Lockwood kit plane himself in December.
Witnesses saw the aircraft attempt a landing on the grass runway parallel to Highway 52, and said the pilot appeared to lose control of the plane.
The plane came back up into the air and then crashed between the grass runway and the main, concrete runway.
Crash: Tackabury built the twin-engine Air Cam experimental kit plane, pictured, in December
Destroyed: The 65-year-old died instantly when the landing went awry
Investigation: Local investigators were on the scene for eight hours trying to determine the cause of the crash
The crash, reported at 12.13pm, is being investigated by the Morgan County Sheriff's Office, Morgan County Coroner's Office and National Transportation Safety Board.
Investigators were at the crash site for eight hours.
Tackabury was the director of transportation for the Wiggins School District.
He had only flown the open cockpit aircraft, a cross between an ultra-light and a standard small plane, a few times, police said.
The community of Wiggins is mourning the Tackabury's death, according to 9 News.
Mourning: Tackabury, pictured, was the director of transportation for the Wiggins School District, which is mourning his death
'It's a real blow for the district,' principal Trent Kerr said of Tackabury, who managed the bus fleet for Wiggins Schools.
'When our superintendent told me about Rick I felt like I got kicked in the gut.'
Kerr said Tackabury spoke fondly about the plane he died in.
'He was even bragging not too long ago about this plane, that he'd been building,' Kerr told the station.
'Rick was an avid flyer and had been flying for years.'
Wiggins lost another two residents over the weekend.
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