Crime & Safety
Plane Crashes, Bursts Into Flames Near Houston
All 21 passengers and crew members survived the crash on takeoff in Waller County west of Katy. The plane was headed to Boston.
WALLER COUNTY, TX — A plane crashed while taking off from Houston Executive Airport on Tuesday morning.
All 18 passengers and three crew members survived the crash and were able to evacuate the plane before first responders arrived, Waller County Office of Emergency Management officials said in a news conference.
The plane, which was headed to Boston, failed to take off from the runway, and the Federal Aviation Administration is investigating, according to authorities. Most of the passengers are back in the airport, and two were taken to a hospital as a precaution with minor injuries.
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The plane was registered to J. Alan Kent, President and CEO of Flair Builders in Spring. Kent was on board but is OK, a Flair Builders spokesperson confirmed to Patch.
One of the passengers aboard was a 10-year-old boy, officials said.
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Video from KRTK showed the plane broken apart and in flames in a field beyond the runway. The TV station reported the passengers were headed to ALCS Game 4 between the Houston Astros and Boston Red Sox.
A Snapchat video showed smoke from the crash visible from a major road.
First responders from Harris, Waller and Fort Bend counties assisted in the response.
WCOEM & WCSO are responding to a plane crash at Houston Executive Airport involving an MD-80 aircraft that was taking off from the Airport heading north. Early reports indicate that all 19 passengers and crew safely exited the aircraft with a report of 1 injury. AVOID THE AREA.
— Waller County OEM (@wallercountyoem) October 19, 2021
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