FORT BEND COUNTY, Texas — Investigators and crews are working to find out what led to the mid-air collision Tuesday morning between a Cessna cargo plane and a paraglider over rural Fort Bend County.
Two people died in the incident that was spread across at least three locations that are approximately four miles apart.
The pilot of the Cessna was identified as Robert Steven Gruss, 35, according to the Fort Bend County Medical Examiner's Office.
The identity of the other person involved in the collision had not yet been revealed by authorities on Wednesday.
The body of one of the victims was found in a yard near the Weston Lakes subdivision, Fort Bend County Constable Chad Norvell said on Tuesday.
A single-engine Cessna 208 was en route to Victoria, Texas from George Bush Intercontinental Airport when it crashed at a firing range approximately a half-mile away from the subdivision, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
Federal officials involved in the investigation provided no details on the crash, deferring to a preliminary report expected next month. The FAA referred inquiries to the National Transportation Safety Board.
"Some of your questions will be answered by the preliminary report in two weeks or the full investigation report, which could take 1-2 years," NTSB spokesperson Eric Weiss said in a statement.
Neither victim had been identified Wednesday, but a spokesperson with UPS said the aircraft involved was carrying material for the shipping giant.
"UPS is aware of an accident involving a small aircraft that departed Houston Tuesday morning on a flight to Victoria, TX," UPS media relations director Jim Mayer said in a statement. "While the accident did not involve a UPS aircraft or employees, the flight was contracted to carry UPS packages. Our thoughts are with everyone involved in this tragic situation."
The incident happened in an area known for intensive glider activity, according to FAA aeronautical charts.
