An award-winning flight instructor and his wife died in a small plane crash in Texas on Wednesday, Feb. 11, authorities confirmed. Ron J. Timmermans, a National Certified Flight Instructor of the Year in 2021, and his wife Barbara were aboard a Beechcraft A36 that went down in Brownsboro around 5:30 p.m.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the pilot declared an emergency shortly before the aircraft struck power lines. A preliminary FAA investigation determined the emergency was caused by oil on the windshield, which impaired visibility. The couple's dog survived the crash. Ron Timmermans began his career as a flight instructor in 1998 and had provided pro bono services to the Florida Aviation Network since 2017.

Timmermans had trained hundreds of pilots and conducted numerous aviation industry interviews throughout his career. The registered owner of the plane was AileRon T LLC, based in Orlando, Florida. The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the crash, with an NTSB investigator expected to arrive at the scene on Friday, Feb. 13. The aviation community has expressed deep sorrow over the loss of the couple, who were described as integral members of the flight training community.