Investigation continues into the tragic air show crash in Dallas that killed six people when two vintage airplanes collided on Saturday.
KPRC 2 spoke to friends and a former employee who identified Montgomery resident Craig Hutain as one of the victims.
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“He’s truly genuinely going to be missed because of the fact that never did he honestly have a bad day when he flew,” Marvin Molina said, reflecting on Captain Craig Hutain.
Captain Hutain is one of six people who lost their lives on Saturday after a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress and a Bell P-63 Kingcobra collided and crashed at the Wings Over Dallas Airshow.
Molina worked with Captain Hutain on an airline.
“I remember telling him, I said, ‘Hey Craig, I’ll be honest with you…you’re one of my favorite captains. I can honestly say that your one of my favorites.’ He looked at me funny and said, ‘You know what buddy? You’re one of my favorite flight attendants also.’ I said, ‘Man, I’ll even fly with you on my day off. So we both laughed,” Molina said.
The tragic news is hard for Sammy Garza to process.
“Craig was one of the nicest, sincere, genuine people that I meet when first started in aviation back in 2014,” Garza said.
Garza shared a photo with KPRC’s Re’Chelle Turner that shows Captain Hutain flying a vintage Japanese military aircraft and Sammy was passenger on the flight.
He says they also shared a passion for mustangs.
“He’s just one of those guys who seemed like the life of the party. He’d come in. I still hear his voice coming up to me ‘What’s happening’ that was his line. He was just always happy. He loved aviation, that was his life,” Garza said.
One of the victims has been identified as Terry Barker.
The Mayor of Keller posted about Barker on Facebook:
“Keller is grieving as we have come to learn that husband, father, Army veteran, and former Keller City Councilman Terry Barker was one of the victims of the tragic crash at the Dallas Air Show.
Terry Barker was beloved by many. He was a friend and someone whose guidance I often sought. Even after retiring from serving on the City Council and flying for American Airlines, his love for community was unmistakable.
Yesterday he was flying to honor the greatest generation. Today, the Field of Honor in front of Keller Town Hall will remain standing an additional week in his honor.
Please join me in praying for strength and comfort for his family and friends.”
The Ohio Wing Civil Air Patrol identified Curt Rowe as one of the victims.
On Facebook, they wrote:
“We lost a great member yesterday. Curt Rowe directly affected many squadrons including ours in providing O-Flights and other duties in Civil Air Patrol.
It is only a small consulation that he was doing what he loved at the time.
Think of him and what he has taught you and shared with you during you interactions with him.”
The Allied Pilots Association also identified Len Root as a crewmember who passed away.
On Twitter, the organization said:
“We are saddened to report that former APA members CA Terry Barker and CA Len Root were among the crewmembers lost on B-17 Flying Fortress during the Wings Over Dallas airshow today. Our hearts go out to their families, friends, and colleagues past and present.”
On Sunday, The NTSB held a press conference and said investigators were collecting evidence. Debris has been secured and they are working to remove the wreckage. The cause of the crash is still unknown. A preliminary report is expected in four to six weeks.
Officials are working with the Commemorative Air Force to obtain pilot training records AND aircraft maintenance records.
“Neither aircraft was equipped with a flight data recorder or cockpit voice recorder, often known as the Black Box. They were also not required to be equipped with either AFTR or CBR,” Michael Graham, with NTSB said.
Since the aircraft were not equipped with a flight data recorder, officials are asking witnesses to email videos and pictures of the crash. They say it’s critical information and will help them make safety recommendations to prevent tragedies from happening in the future.
READ MORE: 6 killed after vintage aircraft collide at Dallas air show