Cannon identifies airmen killed in crash

Cannon Air Force Base on Thursday morning released the names of the crew killed in Tuesday's crash near Clovis Municipal Airport.

Here is the base news release:

The aircrew members of the crashed U-28A aircraft from Cannon Air Force Base have been identified.

Captain Andrew Becker, 33, was a pilot for the 318th Special Operations Squadron. He was from Novi, Mich., and is survived by his spouse, mother, and father.

Captain Kenneth Dalga, 29, was a combat systems officer for the 318th Special Operations Squadron. He was from Goldsboro, N.C., and is survived by his spouse, son, and mother.

First Lieutenant Frederick Dellecker, 26, was a co-pilot for the 318th Special Operations Squadron. He was from Daytona Beach, Fla., and is survived by his mother and father.

“Our thoughts and prayers remain with the families and friends of those involved in this tragic accident,” said Col. Ben Maitre, the wing commander. “In doing so, our focus is to also support our larger Air Commando community as we prioritize safe mission accomplishment in both our training and operational commitments.”

The crash occurred approximately one quarter-mile east of Clovis Municipal Airport at about 6:50 p.m. Tuesday evening. The remains were transported to Albuquerque for autopsy.

The cause of the accident is under investigation.