ENID, Okla. — Two men killed flying a biplane crash Thursday evening have been identified by Oklahoma Highway Patrol.
Randell "Randy" Lee Harris, 55, was piloting a 1993 Runyan S/Harris R Skybolt 300 with Air Force 1st Lt. Dale Bryan Shillington, 25, riding along when he lost control of the aircraft, around 6:40 p.m., an OHP report states.
Both died of massive injuries before emergency personnel reached the scene of the accident near Fairmont at 150th and Rupe, said Trooper Carter Mathews.
Harris was in Enid in advance of Vance Air Force Base's 75th anniversary open house and air show, in which he had been scheduled to perform, on Saturday.
Vance Air Force Base said in a statement Friday morning that Saturday’s open house and air show will proceed as scheduled. The USAF Thunderbirds will perform at 2:30 p.m.
A moment of silence will be observed during opening remarks during the open house to honor the deceased, according to the release.
Base officials said they will not issue any statement about the crash or the plane's occupants until 24 hours following the incident due to Department of Defense protocol and until next of kin has been notified. The deaths of both men were confirmed by OHP.
Mathews reported Harris was flying south when the he attempted an aerobatic maneuver.
“For unknown reason, pilot of aircraft one lost control of the aircraft and was unable to regain control,” Mathews' report states. “Aircraft one collided with the ground in an open, private field.”
Mathews said Harris and Shillington were using restraints and were pinned for one hour before being extricated by the Covington Volunteer Fire Department. Conditions were clear and dry, according to the report. The wind speed at the time of the crash was recorded at Breckinridge, site of the nearest Mesonet weather recording station, at 16.8 miles per hour, according to a Mesonet operator.
The cause of collision is under investigation. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner was on scene Thursday evening. The Federal Aviation Administration was notified and will launch an investigation.
Other responders included Fairmont Volunteer Fire Department, Garfield County Sheriff’s Office, Garfield County Emergency Manager Mike Hongisberg, Life EMS and Vance Air Force Base police, Mathews said.
'I was on that plane three hours ago'
Tulsa-based Bearfeat Aerobatics, a company Harris created, was providing civilian flights a mere three hours before the crash.
Scott Northcutt, of Enid, flew with Harris from about 4 to 4:30 p.m.
The two visited, talking about Harris’ travels and airshows he’d participated in during his 20-plus years of experience with the Skybolt 300.
Northcutt said he’s flown in many performance and aerobatic airplanes before.
“I thought he was very thorough,” Northcutt said. “He was very thorough as far as giving me a pre-brief training, different cover and safety items. We went up, and there was no concern at all. We had a great time and did all the maneuvers he knew.”
Northcutt said Harris asked him what else he wanted to do as they flew over Enid.
“I said, ‘whatever else there is,’” Northcutt said. “He said, ‘I think we did them all.’ He was super nice and very professional.”
Northcutt said the flight was great and filled with lots of “Gs” — acceleration forces known as G-force. The two completed barrel rolls, spins and other maneuvers.
“There wasn’t a time I felt uncomfortable, and it was a great flight,” Northcutt said. “My wife and I were watching things unfold last night online and we were trying to figure out which plane it was.”
He said he saw the crash photo published online by the Enid News & Eagle around 8:30 p.m. Thursday.
“We saw that photo, and it kind of takes the breath out of you,” Northcutt said. “Before I saw that picture, someone had posted (on another social media site) it (the plane that crashed) was a static display plane for Saturday. I thought if it was there for static display then it wasn’t Randy’s because he was in the show. That was before we saw the picture, and it kind of gave us a breath of fresh air.”
But as soon as they saw the photo and put the pieces together, it brought a crushing reality down on the couple.
“He gave us a pamphlet for his business, and I emailed them (before the crash),” Northcutt said. “Then after I found out it looked like it was Randy, I saw a 918 number calling me, and it was them to tell me.”
Northcutt said Harris was a general manager of an aviation service company in Tulsa located near Tulsa International Airport.
“It was them calling,” he said. “They saw my email, called me back and told me. It’s a tough thing, and he’d been doing it for 20 years. The 1st lieutenant, pilot or non-pilot, he’s one of our military. It’s a tough thing all around. It makes you look back and think, man, I was on that plane three hours ago. I don’t know what happened, but I know I flew with him and he was a great guy.”
The incident is a tough way to start a weekend air show, Northcutt said.
“It’s tough for him (Harris) and his family and the military gentleman’s family,” he said. “He’s got family here — military family — at the base. What do you say? Words can’t do it. It’s just a tough thing.”
Harris, of Owasso, had been performing since 1995 and had performed at more than 200 venues. He, and his wife were living in Tulsa with their two cats, according to the company website.
Ray Gill, of Enid, spoke with Harris and Shillington before they took off from Woodring Regional Airport Thursday evening.
Gill said Harris started flying in airshows the same time he did. The former American Airlines employee kept in touch with Gill and frequently talked planes.
“He built that airplane, and he was super heavily qualified to do what he does, and he’s very well respected in the industry, in airshows,” Gill said. “He had a ground-level waiver, which is the highest rating an airshow pilot can have.”
Before Harris and Shillington taxied, Gill said he spoke to Harris about a mutual friend or theirs who had recently died of cancer.
“We were just talking about that, life and death,” Gill said.
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