MCKINNEY, Texas — A small plane crashed after taking off from the McKinney National Airport on Thursday morning, officials said.
The crash was reported around 10:30 a.m. in the area of County Road 317, which is just south of the airport.
Three people were onboard the plane, according to the DPS. Two occupants were pronounced dead on the scene and another was transported to Parkland Hospital in Dallas. DPS did not immediately release the condition of the injured occupant.
On Friday, the victims were identified as the pilot Michael Lewis, 67, and passenger Gustavo Moreno, 53, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety. Lewis' family shared this photo of him with WFAA:
Matthew Dildine tells WFAA he was working on a tractor when the plane came crashing down. It happened more than a few hundred yards from him. He instantly knew something was wrong when it flew so low to the ground compared to all the other planes that flew overhead.
"It was not going at the right speed. It looked like there were no engines running. It was more of a fall than a flight," said Dildine. "It's rough to look at...you hope for the best," he said.
Footage from the scene showed that the plane appeared to crash into a mound of dirt and gravel at a facility just south of the airport.
Dildine recalls seeing a number of people from the North Texas Natural Select Materials site rushing in to put out the fire.
"Seeing people step up in a situation that isn't their responsibility but they care about their neighbor so they helped their neighbor," he said.
Video from a witness showed those construction workers rushing to put out the fire after the crash.
The City of Forney released the following statement regarding Lewis' death:
"The City of Forney is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Michael Lewis, husband of former Mayor Amanda Lewis. Michael was a dedicated and active member of the Forney community, serving as a philanthropist, Angel Flight pilot (completing over 140 missions), and chaplain at Genesis Center North Texas. His unwavering commitment and impactful contributions to our community will be fondly remembered and greatly missed."
"Michael Lewis was a pillar of our community, whose dedication to service and compassion touched many lives. His legacy and impact on our community will not be forgotten. Our prayers are with the Lewis family during this difficult time," said Mayor Jason Roberson.
McKinney police confirmed the Texas Department of Public Safety will be handling the investigation.
The Federal Aviation Administration had investigators on site Thursday and the NTSB is expected to join them Thursday evening.