A tragic incident unfolded on Sunday afternoon near a Texas airfield when a plane crashed into an 18-wheeler and multiple trailers, resulting in a fiery explosion that claimed two lives. The plane, which crashed nose-first, skidded across the pavement at high speed before colliding with the vehicles and erupting into flames.
The shocking event was captured on surveillance footage, which showed the aircraft going vertical upon impact and then bursting into flames. The aftermath of the crash was marked by thick plumes of smoke that could be seen from miles away. Witnesses reported hearing a loud boom, and one individual recounted a frantic customer rushing into a nearby establishment pleading for someone to call the police.
Lauren Anderson, a witness to the crash, described seeing a “giant black cloud of smoke” approximately 100 feet high. However, she noted that the smoke quickly dissipated once authorities arrived on the scene. Anderson told the New York Times that the cleanup was so thorough it was almost as if nothing had happened, a sentiment she described as a “weird feeling.”
The fiery crash occurred in Tarrant County, in proximity to Hicks Airfield. This airfield is situated between Fort Worth Alliance Airport and Fort Worth Meacham Airport, and to the west of Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. The identities of the two victims have not yet been released, and it remains unclear whether any bystanders were injured in the incident.
Fire officials reported that the blaze was quickly contained. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has taken the lead in investigating the crash. This incident comes on the heels of another aviation accident in California, where a helicopter crashed into a row of palm trees near Huntington Beach during preparations for an automobile and aircraft showcase. That crash resulted in five people, including a child, being hospitalized for injuries. The pilot, renowned aerial stuntman Eric Nixon, suffered broken ribs, crushed vertebrae, and several bruises, according to his father-in-law.