Pat Carter was a very respected member of the Alabama, and more widespread aviation communities, and his family is very much a part of the Bücker world. Pat's father Jennings Carter was close friends with the Marcus Bates and Earl Hickman families to the extent that they frequently traded aircraft and worked together to solve the issues that arose from operating vintage aircraft. Clearly Bücker aircraft were in Pat's blood.
(Jennings Carter was one of the first crop dusters in Alabama and owned one of the very few original imported Jungmeisters in the 1970s and early 80s. It had a Siemens radial engine but he replaced it with a 180 Lycoming. Jennings owned several very interesting airplanes over the years including the original Knight Twister, a Kingfisher torpedo bomber, and several Jungmann.)
When Jennings Carter passed away Pat inherited his Jungmeister project (Spanish SN30) but would eventually sell it to purchase the famous Marion Cole Jungmann N913CB "Charlie Brown". Obviously 'CB re-ignited Pat's passion for Bückers. He was able to negotiate the purchase of Jim Moss' Warner Jungmeister and it was this aircraft in which the accident occurred.
I'm sure that everyone in the Bücker community will join me in expressing my deepest sympathy and condolences to Pat's family and friends. Their grief must be overwhelming.
It would appear that long-time Bücker pilot Pat Carter of Monroeville, Alabama was flying a Jungmeister across the country when this accident occurred in the northern state of Montana. I will post more information when it becomes available.
This from http://newstalkkgvo.com
The Missoula County coroner has identified the name of the plane crash victim who died on Wednesday October 14 at the Missoula International Airport.
The deceased pilot’s name is Patrick Carter. He was 52-years-old and was heading back to his home in Monroeville, Alabama. According to the sheriff’s department, Carter had stopped in Missoula to get fuel, but was traveling from Washington State back home to Alabama.
Missoula County Sheriff’s Department Public Information Officer Brenda Basset, says the man’s family was contacted before his name was released.
Today, Both the National Transportation Safety Board and a coroner will be investigating the crash and the victim to help discern why the plane crash happened and what the cause of death was.
The plane crashed down in between the long term parking lot and the area where airplane travelers are dropped off, in a fairly narrow grassy area. No one else was injured and the wreckage will remain where it is until the investigation is over.