Award-winning pilot and wife die in plane crash after dirty windows prompt emergency landing, pet dog survives

Authorities told FOX Business on Sunday that a couple, reportedly an award-winning pilot and his wife, died in a tragic plane crash last week after declaring an emergency landing "due to oil on the windshield."  

Local media outlet KLTV said the couple’s dog was also on board and miraculously survived the devastating crash.

The incident occurred in East Texas last Wednesday around 5:30 p.m., when a Beechcraft A36 struck power lines while diverting to Brownsboro, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said. Authorities added that the small plane went down short of the runway in Murchison, according to KLTV.

The Florida Aviation Network (FAN) told FOX Business that the plane was owned by Ronn Timmermans, who is married to Barbara Zimmer. The couple were owners of Orlando-based aviation company AileRon T LLC. 

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"It is with deep sadness that it has been reported that Ron Timmermans (RJT) has ‘Gone West’ on February 11th, 2026," the network said in an internal memo, referring to the fatal tragedy.

FAN noted that the couple reportedly "perished in an aircraft accident in east Texas."

The Bonanza & Baron Pilot Training website notes that Timmermans was inspired by his wife, Barbara, to become a flight instructor, and the couple flew to many destinations across the U.S., Canada and the Bahamas.

Photos of the crash scene showed the Timmermans’ plane lying nose-down in the ground with its tail jutting dramatically into the sky. 

While the couple died in the incident, their small lapdog miraculously survived and was taken in by local residents at the crash site, KLTV reported. FAN noted that the dog was named Ziva.

"The dog was alive, and so one of the neighbors took the dog to take care of," resident Mary Ann Shoulders said.

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FAN described the veteran flight instructor as an integral figure in the flight community. He was named National Certified Flight Instructor of the Year in 2021 by an awards program associated with the Federal Aviation Administration. He also provided pro bono services to FAN since 2017 and acted as a host for the network. 

"Ron was an important part of training hundreds of pilots over the years," the organization told KLTV. "He’s done hundreds of hours of interviews with people in the aviation industry. He’s the main host of our interviews online. He was the National Flight Instructor of the Year in 2021. He and Barbara will be greatly missed."

The NTSB said the crash is under investigation and that officials retrieved devices from the plane that could contain data about the accident.

The wreckage was also recovered to a secure facility for further examination.

FOX Business reached out to the Federal Aviation Administration for more information.