Hide Article Text (OCR)
FUTILE ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE IAD WEATHERFatal Plane Crash Ends Career Top-Rated Rodeo PerformerTwo men who had often faced death in exciting rodeo events a ere killed in the crash of a light plane about 24 miles southeast of Fort Stockton last Friday as they apparently were attempting to escape a storm.Tony Gale Haberer, 23, and Tom M Moews, 27, were believed killed on Impact in the crash on the Roy Henderson Ranch, only two miles east of U.S. Highway 285 (the Sander son highway).Haberer was one of the top rodeo performers in the nationfor the past three years, according to a Denver official ofthe Rodeo Sports News, publication of the Rodeo Cowboys Association.Haberer had been named the RCA’s “Rookie of the Year1' in 1966, was rated 10th In thenation with winnings totaling $21,051 in 1967, and was rated 12th in 1968 with winnings totaling $20,510.Earlier he had been one of the outstanding performers In the American Junior Rodeo Association.Haberer and Moews both specialized in bareback bronc-rld-ing and bull riding events. Moews was among the big-money winners, but was a regular rodeo performer.Officials of the Federal Aviation Agency and the National Transportation Safety Boardwere in Fort Stockton Thursday to Investigate the crash, but could make no definite statement about the cause of the tragedy.An apparent picture emerged from the evidence, however. The pair left Carlsbad last Friday at about 6 p.m. Central Standard Time in the single-engine Mark 21 Mooney four-seat aircraft. They had touched down in Carlsbad to allow another rodeo performer. Gary Tucker, todis-embark. Tucker and Habererwere co-owners of the aircraft.The men then took off on the ill-fated flight toward McAllen, where they were to have participated in a rodeo In nearby Mercedes Saturday. They werethought to have been flying via instruments, with Pecos. FortStockton, and Del Rio among the check-points on the route.But a front of rain was pushing northward along the intended flight path late Friday and made flying conditions extremely dangerous, with an extremely low celling. Ranchers in the area of the crash reported that work scheduled for Saturday morning following the crash had to be postponed due to weather, and most of West Texas was buffeted by high winds and heavy rainsby Saturday night.The direction of the intended flight was southeast, but the direction of impact was almost due west, Indicating that the men may have been attempting to turn around at the time of the crash.The exact time of the crash was not determined, but estimated normal flight time underthe weather circumstanceswould place the time of Irmact shortly after 7 p.m. Central Standard Time. Officials who Investigated the wreck stated that both men were thrown fromPart of aircraft wreckage. ..
Newspaper Details
Fort Stockton Sunday Pioneer
Fort Stockton, Texas, US
Sun, Mar 30, 1969
Page 1
Full Page
Clipped by
Richard G.
USA 08 Aug 2021
Other Publications Near Fort Stockton, Texas
Fort Stockton Sunday Pioneer
Fort Stockton Thursday Pioneer
Fort Stockton Pioneer
