GAINESVILLE, Texas — One was killed and another was injured after a single-engine Cessna 172R crashed near Gainesville Municipal Airport during an instructional flight Tuesday night, officials say.
A female instructor pilot, later identified by officials as Bailey Maldonado, 27, of Grand Prairie, was pronounced dead on scene and a male student co-pilot, later identified as James Watts, 26, of Oregon, was airlifted to Medical City Denton with serious injuries, according to the Cooke County Sheriff's Office.
The plane crashed after departing from Denton Enterprise Airport, according to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The U.S. Aviation Academy trains at the Denton Enterprise Airport, according to the U.S. Aviation Academy’s website.
The plane left the Denton Enterprise Airport at about 7:48 p.m. Tuesday and was expected to arrive at the Gainesville Municipal Airport at about 8:44 p.m., according to FlightAware.
The aircraft is owned by Wings Over Texas Holdings LLC, the FAA registry shows.
The NTSB says an investigator is expected to be on scene Wednesday to document the scene and examine the aircraft. After that, the plane will be recovered and taken to a facility for further evaluation.
The NTSB expects to have a preliminary report within 30 days of the crash.
“The preliminary report will contain factual information gathered during the initial phase of the investigation,” NTSB says. “A typical NTSB investigation can take 12-24 months to complete. A probable cause of the crash along with any contributing factors will be detailed in the final report, which is expected in 12-24 months.”
Anyone with information that could be relevant to the investigation into the crash is asked to contact the NTSB at at witness@ntsb.gov.
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