A small plane crash in Odessa, Texas, resulted in the deaths of pilot Joseph Vincent Summa, 48, and passenger Joleen Cavaretta Weatherly, 49, on Tuesday. After taking off from an Odessa airport around 7 a.m., the aircraft reportedly struggled to gain altitude, struck a power line, and crashed in an alley. The impact initiated a significant ground fire.
Ector County Sheriff Mike Griffis stated, "It's obvious the pilot attempted to avoid the houses." The crash led to propellant explosions, causing the fire to spread to nearby mobile homes and outbuildings. Odessa Fire Rescue Chief Jason Cotton confirmed that a woman was injured and hospitalized after being rescued from one of the burning mobile homes.
The Texas Department of Public Safety identified the aircraft as a Cessna Citation business jet. In addition to the human casualties, the crash damaged vehicles, fences, and a local restaurant in Odessa, a city of about 114,000 residents. The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are set to investigate the incident. (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP)
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