The aviation community honors the victims of the tragic midair collision between a B-17 Flying Fortress and Bell P-63 Kingcobra at Wings Over Dallas. The six victims have been identified as Terry Barker, Leonard “Len” Root, Curt Rowe, Kevin” K5” Michels, Dan Ragan and Craig Hutain.
Barker, Root, Rowe and Ragan were aboard the B-17 and Hutain flew the P-63. A fund has been set up by the International Council of Air Shows Foundation, accepting donations to support the families through a family fund and scholarship programs. The six victims each had their impact on the aviation industry and lives rooted in a passion for aircraft and general aviation.
Terry Barker
Terry Barker was a former Army Veteran, having flown helicopters during his service. He was a captain and former army pilot. Barker worked for American Airlines for 36 years before he retired in 2020. Barker was a former Keller city councilman, serving on the Planning and Zoning Commission from 1995-1999 before being elected to two terms on the council from 1999-2003. According to the City of Keller, Texas twitter thread, the Field of Honor display in front of Keller Town Hall that was set to be disassembled will remain in place for a week in honor of Barker.
Barker had a love for aviation and honoring other veterans, shown by his work with the Texas Raiders, most recently as Maintenance Officer. Barker had a loving family, leaving behind a wife, two sons and a new grandchild.
RELATED STORY: Victims identified in midair crash between B-17, P-63 at Wings Over Dallas airshow, killing 6
Leonard “Len” Root
Leonard Root was a retired American Airlines pilot. Root graduated high school and began a 30-year career with Forth Worth-based American Airlines. Root has been flying with the Texas Raiders since 1993 and was a training officer. According to a Facebook post from a family member, Root loved planes, race cars, boats, motorcycles and all things fast. According to his LinkedIn profile, Root attended Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University where he studied aviation business and law. Root was a pilot and manager for the Gulf Coast Wing of the Commemorative Air Force. He worked as flight director and flight management systems controller for American Airlines for over 35 years.
Root leaves behind a family that loved him and his lifelong appreciation for aviation. The memory and impact Root had will live on with his daughters and grandchildren. “He lived for flying, for going fast,” said his daughter in a heartfelt post on Facebook.
RELATED STORY: Losing the Texas Raiders B-17 is much more than just losing a piece of aviation history
Curt Rowe
Maj. Curtis J. Rowe was a member of the Ohio Wing Civil Air Patrol and served in the patrol for more than 30 years. According to a post from the Ohio Wing Civil Air Patrol, Rowe had held every aircrew rating possible and earned his command pilot rating. As a patrol member, Rowe served in positions including safety officer and operations officer at the squadron and wing levels. He was serving as an Ohio Wing Maintenance Officer. Rowe was a volunteer B-17 crewmember for the Dallas-based Commemorative Air Force. Rowe has volunteered many times in the last decade at the Johnson Flight Academy in Mattoon Illinois.
Rowe is remembered by the many in the aviation industry he met, as well as family and close friends who will miss him.
Kevin “K5” Michels
Kevin Michels served many roles on the Texas Raiders flight crew including media rep, a current post as a historian and as a supervisor for tours for veterans and the public. Michels was a volunteer crew member on the B-17. Originally from the Denver area, Michels moved to Austin in 2001 and recently moved to Leander, Texas.
“If you’ve ever heard a B-17 flying overhead, you know the unmistakable sound,” Michels said in a tour video. “If you’ve ever had the visceral experience of flight in a B-17 you know it can be felt, not described.” Michels had a passion for aviation, heard in his vivid descriptions of the aircraft he loved so much.”
He is survived by a loving partner and family as well as close friends. In the video below, he gives a tour of the Texas Raiders.
Dan Ragan
Dan Ragan was a Korean War veteran, serving as a crew member on the same B-17 involved in the crash in 1955 when he was a Navy PB-1W in squadron VW-1. Ragan was a radio operator on the Texas Raiders plane in the 50s. Ragan served in the Georgia Air National Guard for 14 years. Ragan was interviewed along with another former crew member about their experience with the B-17 from the ’50s to now.
“It was fantastic. Beautiful,” Ragan said. “I had an older brother who was a B-17 pilot and for his kid brother to be able to fly in a B-17. I was in Heaven.”
Ragan, an honored veteran and family man, will be remembered by many in the industry and his personal life. Watch the CAF video below.
Craig Hutain
Craig Hutain was an airline pilot and had planned to retire in a few years. According to his bio on the Tora Tora Tora website, Hutain gained a love for flying at the age of 10 with his father in a J-3 Cub. Hutain soloed at 17 and started flying for airlines in 1982. He was the Tora Executive Officer and a captain in the B-777 for United in Houston. With over 34,500 flight hours in over 100 aircraft, Hutain lived a life dedicated to flying. He was rated as an airline transport, commercial glider, seaplane pilot and flight instructor for single and multi-engine aircraft.
Hutain leaves behind his wife of 20 year, two kids and four grandchildren.
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