FORT BEND COUNTY, Texas — Two people were killed Tuesday after a small plane struck a paraglider in a rural area of Fort Bend County, authorities said.
The body of one of the victims was found in a yard near Weston Lakes, according to Fort Bend County Constable Chad Norvell.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the single-engine Cessna 208 was flying from George Bush Intercontinental Airport to Victoria Regional Airport when it crashed at about 9:40 a.m. The Cessna collided midair with a paraglider and one person was on board each aircraft, FAA officials said.
Witnesses said they saw one of the aircraft involved just before impact.
"It was a yellow and white plane. It looked like a stunt plane, and it came down real hard," witness Wyatt Scott told KHOU 11 News. "When it came down, it looked like it was in one piece, and I got a good glimpse right before it hit the ground."
Scott said the plane hit the ground nose-first.
"I honestly should have died because I was 20 feet away. If I'd left the house any later, I would have been dead," he said.
It wasn’t immediately clear what led to the collision, which happened in an area known for intensive glider activity, according to FAA aeronautical charts.
There were at least three different scenes tied to the crash.
Air 11 flew over the area and found debris from the plane crash near Bowser Road, southwest of Fulshear, near Brazos River Sportsmen's Club, which is a firing range adjacent to the river.
Another scene was found several miles south of that location, along Highway 36 near Orchard. This is where a parachute was found.
The third scene was where the body of one of the victims was found. This was in the Weston Lakes community on Waterloo Court. This is approximately 3,800 feet to the east of the firing range where the aircraft wreckage was located.
The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating.
FAA officials said they plan to release more information tomorrow about the incident.
