NEED TO KNOW
- Both passengers survived after a single-engine plane crashed into a field in Falls County, Texas
- The pilot called mayday after the engine began to fail and narrowly avoided disaster as he attempted to land
- “We walked away with no problem, accidents happen,” the pilot said
Two lucky passengers survived after a single-engine plane crashed into a Texas field.
During the early hours of Monday, Oct. 27, two passengers crashed into a field on County Road 414 near Highway 7 in Falls County after only being in the air for 11 minutes, according to local outlets KWTX, KXXV and KCENT.
The 23-year-old pilot, who did not want to be publicly identified, told KWTX that, after the small plane’s engine began to fail, he called in mayday and attempted to safely land the plane in a pasture located near Chilton. After narrowly avoiding a nearby fence and power lines, the plane flipped and landed upside down.
Both passengers were left unscathed. As the pilot told the outlet, “We walked away with no problem, accidents happen.” While the extent of the damage is not yet known, he emphasized that he has no plans to stop flying.
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Following the crash, a member of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) rushed to the scene alongside Falls County police. Richard Johnson, a tow truck driver and owner of Autos Unlimited, was also called to tow the aircraft.
“Since I’ve been in the towing business… I think this is the second plane crash we have had in the county and the first one we have towed,” Johnson told KWTX, adding that the small weight and size of the 2006 Kitfox III made the job much easier.
After all, the aircraft involved in the crash is an “experimental” model with folding wings that can be folded within 15 minutes to allow for “non-traditional aircraft storage and travel,” per the manufacturer.
According to the Experimental Aircraft Association(EAA), experimental or amateur-built aircrafts are “used for non-commercial purposes such as education or personal use.” All experimental planes must be registered with the FAA, inspected by an FAA inspector to obtain an airworthiness certificate, and follow all appropriate federal regulations during each of their flights.
