A prominent member of the Farmington community suffered a tragedy this past Friday. Kim Long, station manager of KTJJ/KREI, lost her son, Adam, in a helicopter crash in southwest Missouri on Friday afternoon. 

Adam was 26 years old and grew up outside Fredericktown. He had graduated as a helicopter pilot and was logging hours working for a company shuttling new aircraft. He and his co-pilot, 24-year-old Wayne Holtmeier of St. Louis, were flying from California to Illinois when the crash occurred. 

Farmington Chamber of Commerce Director Ursula Kthiri said, “When a tragedy like this happens it affects the entire community. We are here to support Kim and Ronnie in whatever they need in order to help them.”  

The Missouri Water Patrol and the Taney County authorities said a man fishing saw the helicopter go down. The man rushed to the site, which was only accessible by boat.

Chamber of commerce President Dave Buerck said, “(Adam) was Kim and Ronnie’s world. I worked with Adam during physical therapy and didn’t really know him, but it did not take long. He always had a smile on his face and was willing to help everyone out, especially at Country Days.

“Everyone at Farmington Sports and Rehab knew him and everyone enjoyed him. He was an amazing man and was an all-American kind of guy. He will be greatly missed.”

KTJJ/KREI General Manager Richard “Dick” Womack said, “It’s a tragedy that no one is prepared for, especially so young in life. Adam took to flying and the complexitites of helicopters from early on. He had received his pilots private license and was working on his commercial license and working on conventional air crafts, he loved and excelled in them.

“In preliminary communication all indications are it was mechanical, probably equipment trouble, not pilot error.  He was doing what he loved when the accident occurred.”

According to the Robinson Helicopters owners forum, Captain Gary Haupt said the men were in a new helicopter and were traveling from the factory in California to Illinois. They had stopped for fuel in Shawnee, Okla., and were planning another stop in West Plains, Mo.

Mark Toti of KTJJ has worked with Kim for many years and said, “Adam was a terrific kid. He will be greatly missed.” He added that he thought “the world of Adam and his family.”

The aircraft Long was flying was identified as an R44 rotocraft according to the Federal Aviation Administration. The crash occurred in the far southwest corner of Taney County near the Mills Branch Cove on Table Rock Lake, which is near the Arkansas state line.

The investigation of the crash is still being investigated and funeral arrangements were pending as of press time.

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