Southwest Colorado authorities on Wednesday identified the man and woman killed last week in a near Pagosa Springs.
Robert “Bobby” Bennett, 70, from Midothian, Texas, and Svitlana Solodovnyk, a 5353, from Ukraine, died Sept. 25 when the Beechcraft 35 Bonanza crashed near U.S. 84.
“The couple was in town for the 2015 Pagosa Springs Air Race to be held on Sept. 26,” the Archuleta County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release. “Mr. Bennett and Ms. Solodovnyk were flying the course the day prior to familiarize themselves with it.”
The sheriff’s office says Bennett began experiencing mechanical problems. A close friend and fellow race participant was flying ahead in another plane.
“Bennett to tell him he had lost (his) engine and was going down,” the release said. “By the time (the friend) reached Bennett’s location, (Bennet’s) plane was already engulfed in flames on the ground.”
The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the crash.
Jesse Paul: 303-954-1733, jpaul@denverpost.com or @JesseAPaul
