HOUSTON — More than two weeks after a plane crash killed two people in west Harris County, The Texas Department of Public Safety has revised an earlier statement investigators made about the circumstances prior to the incident.
The aircraft was found in a wooded area near the Katy Freeway on Dec. 9, a day after taking off from West Houston Airport.
Authorities identified the two people killed as flight student Solomon Babalola, 23, and passenger Apesin Oluwafunmilayo, 20.
Originally, a DPS spokesperson said West Houston Airport lost contact with the plane after it took off the night before.
On Wednesday, DPS officials said earlier claims of the airport losing contact with the aircraft were incorrect, and the airport didn't learn about the crash until the next day.
An airport manager told KHOU 11 that the plane had taken off at about 8 p.m. on Dec. 8 and didn't return. Airport personnel started looking for the aircraft after a girlfriend of one of the victims came looking for them the next day.
The crash site was located about two miles north of West Houston airport.
There's still no word from investigators on what led to the crash.
Here's the full statement from the Texas Department of Public Safety - Southeast Texas Region:
"On Dec. 9, during a press briefing concerning a plane crash in west Harris County, a DPS spokesperson incorrectly stated that the West Houston Airport lost contact with the plane around 8 p.m. on Dec. 8. Please note, the West Houston Airport did not learn of the downed aircraft until Dec. 9, after being alerted to a potential crash by the pilot’s concerned family member.
Soon after being notified the pilot was missing, the Airport flew a plane along the aircraft’s flight path and observed the wreckage, immediately informing law enforcement authorities of the crash. The wreckage was discovered at approximately 1:30 p.m."
This video is from Dec. 9:
