Last November a transportation safety board published its initial report attempting to explain a horrific crash at the Wings Over Dallas show at our neighborhood’s Dallas Executive Airport, formerly Red Bird Airport. And now, new audio offers a bit more insight.
The Dallas Morning News obtained Federal Aviation Administration audio and had aviation expert Richard Levy explain what he heard during the 36-minute recording, which contains dialogue between multiple pilots and the show’s air boss, the person responsible for airshow operations on the taxiways, runways and demonstration area.
“It seems there is a visual contact made between aircraft,” Levy told The News’ Lana Ferguson.
Ferguson’s story continues as follows:
The air boss directs the fighters, including the P-63, to fly along the 500-foot line away from spectators and the bombers to do the same from the 1,000-foot line. He tells the fighters to come through first and ahead of the bombers, Levy continued.
“Fighters will be a big pull and up to the right,” was the last transmission from the air boss before the crash at 1:21 p.m.
A moment of silence in the audio occurs before the air boss, with urgency in his voice, says “Knock it off. Knock it off. Roll the trucks. Roll the trucks.”
He tells some aircraft to hold position and seemingly diverts others to Lancaster Airport nearby as emergency responders and fire engines began responding to the crash.
While the FAA audio adds more insight to December’s National Transportation Safety Board report, it could be as many as 18 months before a full report is published.
Those who died in the Nov. 12 collision include Terry Barker, Craig Hutain, Kevin Michels, Dan Ragan, Len Root and Curt Rowe, according to the Commemorative Air Force, which hosted the Wings Over Dallas show.
