Master CFI and Wife Killed in East Texas Plane Crash

Ron and Barbara Timmermans remembered for their kindness and dedication to aviation.

Meg Godlewski

Monday, February 16, 2026 at 03:30 PM ET

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Edited By:

Travis Tingle

Ron and Barbara Timmermans [Credit: Florida Aviation Network]

Key Takeaways:

Nationally known CFI Ron Timmermans and his wife, Barbara, died in an aircraft accident on February 11 in East Texas.
The crash occurred during an emergency landing after their Beechcraft A36 experienced an emergency with oil covering the windshield, striking power lines.
Ron Timmermans was a highly accomplished aviation educator, holding Master CFI and MGI credentials, and was active in programs like AOPA's Rusty Pilot, earning National CFI of the Year in 2021 and induction into the CFI Hall of Fame in 2022.
The couple's dog survived the crash, and their deaths are widely mourned by the aviation community due to their extensive involvement and kind spirits.

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The aviation education community is mourning the deaths of nationally known CFI Ron Timmermans and his wife, Barbara, who were killed in an aircraft accident on February 11.

According to the FAA, the Timmermans were flying over East Texas in their Beechcraft A36 when they declared an emergency shortly before 5:20 p.m. CST, reporting oil suddenly covering the wind screen. During the emergency landing the aircraft struck power lines and hit the ground in a nose-down attitude near Echo Lake Airport (TX40) in Brownsboro, Texas.