Wow, this sucks. Thoughts and prayers to the families. Hopefully the dream will live on. US Highland executives die in plane crash Company founder, COO and CFO killed in Tulsa crash By Motorcycle.Com Staff, Jul. 12, 2010 A plane crash near Tulsa, Okla., claimed the lives of three executives of motorcycle manufacturer US Highland. US Highland President and founder Mats Malmberg, 41, Chief Operating Officer Chase Bales, 51, and Chief Financial Officer Damian Riddoch, 37, were returning to Tulsa July 10 after a business trip in Detroit. The three were en route to Jones Riverside Airport in Tulsa on a fixed-wing multi-engine Cessna. At around 10 p.m., Bales, the pilot and owner of the plane, requested an emergency landing at Tulsa International Airport, reporting the aircraft was low on fuel. The plane crashed shortly after in a wooded area in Mohawk Park, 2,000 yards northeast of Tulsa International Airport. According to local authorities, Malmberg survived the crash but died shortly after being rushed to hospital. A former motocross racer, Malmberg founded Highland Motorcycles AB in Sweden in 1997. After an agreement with sell the company to ATK fell through, Malmberg teamed up with Bales, a fellow motocross racer and venture capitalist, and relocated the company to Oklahoma, renaming it US Highland. Malmberg is survived by his wife and three children, Bales is survived by his wife and two children, and Riddoch is survived by his wife and four children.
Wow that's terrible! I worked at that airport for 3 years, know exactly what area they went down in. Prayer to all of their families, sad sad day....
Just awful ... life is so precious and short and harsh at times ... Hope all the families are doing as well as possible ... This little poem was read when a friend of mine got killed about 35 yrs ago ... I have never forgot words ... They ring so true on life and death ... Out in the Fields with God by Anonymous Works The little cares that fretted me I lost them yesterday Among the fields, above the sea, Among the winds at play, Among the lowing of the herds, The rustling of the trees, Among the singing of the birds, The humming of the bees. The foolish fears of what might happen, I cast them all away, Among the clover-scented grass, Among the new-mown hay, Among the husking of the corn, Where drowsy poppies nod, Where ill thoughts die and good are born-- Out in the fields with God.
Oh man, I just read this on the asphalt and rubber blog. It's an indescribable tragedy for the families and close ones of Mats Malmberg, Damian Riddoch and Chase Bales and a heartbreak for the wider motorycle community. These guys were on the up and up. My love and thoughts to everyone who knew them.
Any loss is sad, it is just especially so when anyone from the bike fraternity passes. My prayers are with the families and for the continued future of the company.
The pain continues unfortunately. It seems they have closed their doors at least temporarily. I heard a local rumor that they're going to auction. They had a really good product - they brought their bikes out to our cross country races several times. I hope its just rumor and they're able to reorganize. Last I heard they were working on contracts to build engines/bikes for other brands. http://www.asphaltandrubber.com/news/us-highland-idle-factory/
This is not the best time to intro a new product, especially in a narrow focus market. I hope they can pull it together, their dream is good one and would be a shame for it to fade away.
The link above made it sound semi positive like they were almost done with the funding. Time will tell but yes, real hard time to be doing this.
According to the story on the MXA website, they are trying to reorganize & secure a new financial backing.
