Tulsa family killed in Tuesday's airplane crash near Jenks

The News on 6 has learned the names of the three people killed in Tuesday's plane crash in Jenks. <br/><br/>52 year old Richard Dunham, his 51 year old wife Debbie and their 15 month old granddaughter

Wednesday, August 18th 2004, 10:40 am

By: News On 6

The News on 6 has learned the names of the three people killed in Tuesday's plane crash in Jenks.

52 year old Richard Dunham, his 51 year old wife Debbie and their 15 month old granddaughter Abby Dunham all died when their Cessna lost oil pressure shortly after take-off at Jones-Riverside airport.

Investigators say the pilot was trying to return to the airport when the plane crashed in a nearby neighborhood. News on 6 reporter Patrina Adger talked to the victims' family who tells says Richard Dunham was an experienced pilot and loved to take trips with his wife. Now, his family and friends are trying to make sense of why this happened.

"It was a big shock!" Doug Phillips lives next door to where Richard and Debbie Dunham shared a home for more than 20 years. He says the Dunhams were very involved with their church, their three adult boys, and their families including their grandchildren. "We saw them on Monday they were walking with their grandchild through the neighborhood taking her for a walk in the stroller."

Richard Dunham worked for Tulsa's Kaiser Francis Oil Company for 15 years. He then worked as the Vice President of PetroCorp for two years before he retired last March. His wife Debbie was an English teacher at Union High School for eight years before she retired two years ago. The family says the couple loved to travel. Richard got his pilot's license in 1997 and owned a Cessna airplane. "They traveled alot. Rick has his plane and his license and started flying. They would take trips and fly all over the place and that's what they were doing this time."

Granddaughter Abby was staying with them for a few days while her parents were on vacation. The Dunhams were on their way to drop Abby off with her parents in Missouri before they left for their trip to Canada when their plane crashed killing all three people on board.

The family tells the News on 6 they are still making funeral arrangements.