FORT MORGAN — The pilot of a two-seat plane is dead and his daughter is severely injured after their craft crashed at the Fort Morgan municipal airport.
It happened around noon on Monday in the field just east of the airport’s runway.
The pilot, identified as Richard “Rick” Tackabury, 65, apparently built the plane this year, Morgan County Sheriff Jim Crone said. It was his third flight on the Fixed Wing Multi-Engine AIR-CAM plane, Crone said. FAA is investigating the crash.
Crone says he isn’t sure if variable winds or an engine issue might have contributed. At this point, it would be speculation, Crone said.
For most of the afternoon, weather in Morgan County seemed calm with little wind and blue skies.
Tackabury has a Wiggins address.
This accident is the second fatal one in Morgan County this Memorial Day weekend involving a parent and child.
On Saturday, a Wiggins mother and her 15-year-old daughter both died when an ATV they were riding on veered off the paved road and hit a tree.
“We’ve kinda had a whammy this weekend. Unfortunately, we have a lot of stuff go on like this out here. But we’ve been particularly hit this weekend. The west side of the county right now — a lot of people hurting out there,” Crone said.
