Donald Bartholomew dies in fatal Minden-Tahoe Airport plane collision
Donald Bartholomew dies in fatal Minden-Tahoe Airport plane collision
Fatal Minden-Tahoe Airport crash death of Donald Bartholomew – Obituary
Donald Bartholomew, 74, of Gardnerville, was identified as the pilot who tragically died in a mid-air collision on September 16, 2024, at Minden-Tahoe Airport. The identification was confirmed through DNA comparison from samples gathered at the crash site and Bartholomew’s residence, according to Sheriff Dan Coverley.
The collision, which occurred at approximately 9:47 a.m., involved Bartholomew’s 1946 Globe Swift GC-1B and a Civil Air Patrol Cessna T206H Turbo Stationair HD. Bartholomew was reportedly flying from a private airstrip near Ruhenstroth when the two aircraft collided. Witnesses reported seeing the planes collide with an explosion before one aircraft fell into a field between Highway 395 and Heybourne Road.
The Cessna landed at the airport with damage but without further injuries to its occupants. Bartholomew, a well-known figure in the aviation community, had a long history of building and restoring Swift Aircraft, as noted by aviation blogger Juan Browne.
This crash marks the second fatal aviation incident in less than a month at the Carson Valley airport. The previous crash occurred on August 20, resulting in one fatality and another serious injury during takeoff.
National Transportation Safety Board records indicate that it had been over six years since a fatal crash connected to the Carson Valley airport. The last recorded fatal crash was in February 2018, when a Piper PA34 broke apart during a landing attempt.
This recent incident also follows a pattern of rare fatal crashes in the region. A quarter of a century ago, two fatal crashes occurred within a month, both involving gliders.
Donald Bartholomew dies in fatal Minden-Tahoe Airport plane collision Fatal Minden-Tahoe Airport crash death of Donald Bartholomew – Obituary Donald Bartholomew, 74, of Gardnerville, was identified as the pilot who tragically died in a mid-air collision on September 16, 2024, at Minden-Tahoe Airport. The identification was confirmed through DNA comparison from samples gathered at the…
Donald Bartholomew dies in fatal Minden-Tahoe Airport plane collision Fatal Minden-Tahoe Airport crash death of Donald Bartholomew – Obituary Donald Bartholomew, 74, of Gardnerville, was identified as the pilot who tragically died in a mid-air collision on September 16, 2024, at Minden-Tahoe Airport. The identification was confirmed through DNA comparison from samples gathered at the…