Younger Man Was A Cadet At The Academy, While His Father Was An Air Force Veteran

A father and son who were fatally injured in New Year's Eve in a mid-air collision near McKinney, TX have been interred at the Air Force Academy's Cemetery in Colorado.

The two were aboard a Luscombe 8A that collided with a Piper PA-28 about a half-mile east of Aero Country Airport (T31) in McKinney. Timothy Barber was a freshman cadet at the academy, while his father, Lt. Col Greg Barber (Ret) was retired from the Air Force. The person on board the other airplane has still not been identified, according to a report from television station WFAA.

According to preliminary information from the NTSB, a preliminary review of radar information revealed the Piper, N4407T, approached the airport from the northwest, before turning east over the airport at an altitude of 1,800 ft. A transponder signal was not received from the Luscombe, N2889K; however, it appeared that the airplane had departed T31's runway 17 and headed north, in a downwind traffic pattern.

Preliminary information indicated both airplanes were based at T31. Several witnesses reported seeing the accident, including airplanes flying low and close together prior to the accident.

The airport is privately owned but open to the public.

Services for Timothy and Greg were held Thursday at the Air Force Academy at the Air Force Academy chapel.

FMI: NTSB Preliminary Report