David Colin Dacus Obituary, Death – Authorities have identified the two individuals involved in a small jet crash that occurred on July 21 in western Minnesota. According to the Yellow Medicine County Sheriff’s Office, 49-year-old David Colin Dacus of San Francisco died at the scene. The other person on board, 43-year-old Mark Ryan Ruff of Dallas, survived the crash.
The sheriff’s office stated that they were alerted by air traffic control around 5:23 p.m. regarding a jet experiencing engine trouble near the Granite Falls Municipal Airport. Less than 10 minutes later, a 911 call reported that the aircraft had crashed close to Highway 23. Emergency responders arriving at the scene found Ruff standing along the highway and provided immediate medical assistance. Authorities have not yet disclosed who was piloting the aircraft at the time of the crash.
Due to the presence of military-grade equipment in the aircraft, additional support was brought in. The Bloomington Police Department’s bomb squad and members of the Minnesota National Guard’s 148th Air Wing were called to safely remove an unspent cartridge related to the jet’s ejection seat system.
The downed aircraft was identified by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as an Aero Vodochody L-39, a type of military training jet. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will be handling the investigation into the cause of the crash. The sheriff’s office noted that the wreckage will be relocated for further inspection as part of the investigation process.
According to data from FlightAware, a flight-tracking service, the jet departed from Alpine, Wyoming, around 11:30 a.m. Mountain Time on the day of the crash. It made a brief stop in Gillette, Wyoming, and then landed in Watertown, South Dakota, shortly after 3:30 p.m. Central Time. The jet took off again shortly after 5 p.m., headed for Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. This destination is located near Oshkosh, where the EAA AirVenture airshow—a major annual aviation event—kicked off on July 21.
At the time of the crash, the aircraft was en route to the airshow, a popular gathering that attracts aviation enthusiasts from around the world. The circumstances leading to the jet’s engine failure and crash will be the focus of the NTSB’s investigation.
Local authorities have not released further information about the cause of the crash or the condition of Ruff beyond confirming that he survived. The incident has drawn attention due to the unusual nature of the aircraft involved and its apparent connection to a major aviation event.
Officials continue to gather evidence and urge any witnesses or those with relevant information to come forward as the investigation proceeds.
