An award-winning airplane restoration couple have died in a fiery crash over a Kansas subject.
David Allen, 78, and his spouse Jeanne Allen, 79, have been flying their 1934 WACO YKC single-engine biplane when the incident occurred round 6:10 p.m. on Sunday.
The airplane crashed beneath ‘unknown circumstances’ after which caught hearth within the subject round 10 miles north of Hoxie in Sheridan County, in response to the FAA.
Kansas Freeway Patrol confirmed David was piloting the plane and Jeanne was the passenger.
The couple was well-known within the aviation group and lived at Kelly Airpark in Elbert, Colorado.
David Allen, 78, and his spouse Jeanne Allen, 79, died in a fiery crash whereas flying their 1934 WACO YKC single-engine biplane
Kelly Airpark is a residential group that enables pilots to maintain their aircrafts at their houses and taxi them from house hangars onto runways, in response to The Denver Put up.
‘I’ve all the time dreamt about flying biplanes and having my very own place with a hangar. We’ve acquired factor going right here,’ David advised the native newspaper in 2006.
They purchased the lot in 1994 for $20,000 and constructed their house and hanger on it.
Their first challenge was a homebuilt Taperwing Waco duplicate that took six and a half years to finish, reported Basic Aviation Information.
Subsequent up was Straightwing Waco challenge that gained them the award of Reserve Grand Champion Vintage at SUN ‘n FUN 2016.
Then they restored the 1934 Cabin Waco YKC that gained quite a lot of awards at completely different exhibits and competitions.
The 1934 WACO YKC single-engine biplane (proper) crashed beneath ‘unknown circumstances’ then caught hearth in a Kansas subject
The couple was beloved within the aviation group and lived on the Kelly Airpark in Colorado – a group that enables residents to maintain their aircrafts at their houses
Tributes from the aviation group have began to pour in for the beloved couple.
‘An individual, having spent any time with Dave and Jeanne Allen, left the expertise feeling on par with two individuals who have been clearly on a stage larger than his or her personal,’ mentioned Terry Bowden
‘Very saddened to study of the passing of David and Jeanne Allen. I first met them again in 2021 at SUN ‘n FUN,’ mentioned Plane House owners and Pilots Affiliation contributor Cayla McLeod.
‘I used to be admittedly very drawn to their turquoise Waco, so I swung by to introduce myself.
‘I sat and talked to them for properly over an hour as I interviewed them for my first article as a contractor with AOPA: your freedom to fly. They have been the nicest folks.’
