Dallas Plane Crash: Friend of Conroe pilot killed in airshow crash speaks out

Conroe resident one of 6 killed during historic air show in Dallas

Craig Hutain of Conroe was one of the pilots tragically killed in an air show in Dallas. FOX 26’s Gabby Hart spoke with his colleague and friend who told her he had been flying since he was 10-years-old.

CONROE, Texas - 63-year-old Craig Hutain of Conroe, Texas resident was a pilot who had been flying since he was 10 years old. He was also a pilot in the Air Force, and he even flew commercial for United Airlines.

"You see him smiling all the time," said Nathan Thompson, an aviation photographer.

BACKGROUND: Two planes collide in mid-air crash at Dallas Executive Airport

Thompson has been an aviation photographer for nearly 3-decades; over the years he's gotten to know pilots who participate in air shows when he and Hutain became friends.

Investigation begins for the Dallas plane collision

FOX 26's Gabby Hart reports more on the National Transportation Safety Board's investigation into the Dallas plane collision that reportedly killed six. Some remember two of the individuals who are said to have died in the tragic crash.

When Thompson learned that Hutain was one of six men who died after a collision at the wings over Dallas airshow Saturday, he took the news hard.

"I was devastated, I mean going to the airshows you know the routine, and you know the people and I was just devastated, I broke down and fell apart," Thompson said.

INVESTIGATION UNDERWAY: Six killed in plane collision at Dallas Veteran's Day air show, NTSB details investigation

One of the aircraft involved was a B17 flying fortress, which operates with a flight crew of 5 people. The second was a P63 king cobra, which is a single-pilot aircraft.

Witnesses capture plane crash on cell phones

Witness Valerie Dinh explains the moment that led up to her capturing video of the two plane crash that occurred in Dallas at Dallas Executive Airport.

Thompson shared photos he took of the P63 World War II aircraft that Hutain sponsored and flew often.

"He was very experienced and one of the best pilots I've ever seen. Accidents happen, I'm not going to speculate on what I think happened, I'll let the NTSB do their investigation, but again accidents do happen," Thompson said

The cause of that mid-air collision is under investigation, we can expect a preliminary report from the NTSB within 4 to 6 weeks.