GoFundMe, funeral arrangements set up for local pilots killed in Dallas air show crash

Family and friends are remembering the two Tarrant County pilots killed in an air show crash in Dallas on Saturday as men who were passionate about flying and lived for their families.

Terry Barker and Leonard “Len” Root, former employees of American Airlines who both lived in Keller, were killed while aboard a B-17 bomber involved in the crash, according to the Allied Pilots Association.

“Our hearts go out to their families, friends, and colleagues past and present,” the pilot association said in a statement.

Family and community members have set up a GoFundMe account to help cover expenses for Root’s family, and funeral arrangements have been announced for both Tarrant County men.

Six people were killed when two World War II-era planes collided in midair Saturday afternoon in a crash at the Wings Over Dallas Airshow at the Dallas Executive Airport.

The planes involved were a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress and a Bell P-63 Kingcobra. The FAA said the two planes collided and crashed to the ground around 1:20 p.m.

Officials said the B-17 had a crew of five people, while the Kingcobra was flown by a single pilot. No paying customers were on board.

Videos taken by witnesses and posted to social media appear to show the smaller fighter plane hit the back of the B-17 as the P-63 made a turn. The planes broke apart as they fell to the ground, followed by a fiery explosion and clouds of black smoke billowing into the sky.

Leah Block, a spokesperson for the Commemorative Air Force, which is dedicated to preserving World War II aircraft and hosts the air show, said they aren’t sure why the accident occurred. The planes were owned by the Commemorative Air Force and operated by its volunteer members.

Officials from the National Transportation Safety Board began investigating Sunday.

According to a LinkedIn profile, Root, 66, lived in the Keller area and was a pilot and manager for the Gulf Coast Wing of the Commemorative Air Force. He previously worked for American Airlines for 35 years as a flight director and flight management system program controller.

Barker, 67, retired from American after more than 30 years as a pilot. He also lived in Keller, where he served as a city council member for two terms until 2003.

Four other people were killed in the crash, including everyone aboard the B-17 and the pilot of the P-63.

The five members of the B-17 flight crew were Barker and Root; Dan Ragan, of Dallas; Curtis “Curt” Rowe, of Hilliard, Ohio; and Kevin “K5” Michels, of Austin. The P-63 was flown by Craig Hutain, who was from the Houston area.

Leonard ‘Len’ Root

Root was a man of faith who loved his three daughters, his stepdaughter and his stepson, according to a GoFundMe created by his son-in-law Tim Litche to help the family cover expenses.

He was “the most friendly, talkative, charming guy. He never knew a stranger,” Litche wrote in a Facebook post.

Root retired from American Airlines in 2021, and his retirement party had so many people Litche wrote it was overwhelming to see.

“He impacted so many lives,” Litche wrote. “We are so proud.”

Root was proud of his family, loved God and loved planes, Litche wrote.

Susan Starr Watson, Root’s cousin, wrote in a Facebook post that she and Root grew up together in Oregon. They would watch Super 8 movies together during the summers, celebrate the Fourth of July together and sit around the Christmas tree in her house wearing matching bunny pajamas.

“Len was a special cousin,” Watson wrote in the Facebook post. “He always was happy and had a heart of gold. His passion was flying. I was so proud of him as his career with American Airlines soared.”

She said he loved war planes and wanted to share “the importance of the B17 across our country.”

Services for Root will be held at 2 p.m. Dec. 3 at Northwood Church in Keller.

Root had been flying since he was 16, when he got his private license at the earliest possible age, his youngest daughter Rebekah Lowery said in an email to the Star-Telegram. He’d been flying the B-17 with the Commemorative Air Force for 30 years, she said.

He loved planes and loved being in the air, she said. He wanted to fly every aircraft American Airlines had.

“His passions became his family’s passions,” Lowery wrote. “His oldest granddaughter has wanted to follow in his footsteps for years now. He has always wanted to use his flying to serve the Lord.”

But his deeper passion in life went beyond flying, she said.

“While aviation was super important and special to my dad, his true passion and ministry was people,” Lowery wrote. “He really took the time to invest in as many people as possible. That is becoming more and more evident as tributes and personal stories are being sent to us. My dad loved people and that is how his legacy will live on.“

Terry Barker

Barker, a former city council member in Keller, split his career between flying survey planes, cargo aircraft and working as a pilot for American Airlines, his friend and former student Dennis Phillips said in a Facebook post.

Phillips described him as one of his best friends. The two met in the late 1970s when Barker was flying for Keystone Aerial Surveys and working as a flight instructor. He was a part of the wedding party on Phillips’ wedding day.

Barker dreamed of working for American Airlines, and got his chance when he was flying for UPS, Phillips said. He got a phone call from the airline with an offer to work for them, and in the early ‘90s, he moved back to Texas from New Jersey to start his career there with his wife and two sons.

He retired from American Airlines in 2020.

But his retirement didn’t stop him from flying, Phillips said, as he quickly joined the Commemorative Air Force, flying the B-17.

“Terry was an inspiration to me from the start,” Phillips wrote. “Terry always had a smile on and had his unique laughter.”

A funeral for Barker is scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday at White’s Chapel United Methodist Church in Southlake.

Memorial

A memorial has been set up outside the Dallas Executive Airport, near the intersection of Highway 67 and West Red Bird Lane. Roberto Marquez, a local artist, has set up six crosses, each with the name of a crew member, and has donned them with flowers and other decorations.

Marquez is working on a mural to accompany the crosses.

“I’m doing this because I hope it makes the family of these people, their loved ones, feel some peace, feel good for a moment,” Marquez said.