Two killed in West Texas plane crash that set off a fire and injured a woman

2025-04-20 10:07:21 source: category:Finance

ODESSA, Texas (AP) — A small plane crashed in a West Texas neighborhood Tuesday, killing the pilot and a passenger and setting off a large fire on the ground that injured a woman, authorities said.

Witnesses said the plane struggled to gain altitude after taking off from an Odessa airport and then struck a power line before crashing in an alley at about 7 a.m., according to authorities. Both people aboard the plane died.

“It’s obvious the pilot attempted to avoid the houses,” Ector County Sheriff Mike Griffis said.

The large fire on the ground came after a couple of explosions after the plane crash, he said.

In addition to a couple of mobile homes, some outbuildings in backyards also caught on fire, said Odessa Fire Rescue Chief Jason Cotton. The woman who was injured had to be rescued from one of the burning mobile homes and was taken to a hospital, he said. There was also damage to vehicles, fences and a restaurant in the city of about 114,000.

The Texas Department of Public Safety identified the pilot as Joseph Vincent Summa, 48, of the Houston suburb of Bellaire, and the passenger as Joleen Cavaretta Weatherly, 49, of Orange, which is east of Houston.

The Federal Aviation Administration said the plane was a Cessna Citation business jet. The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate.

More:Finance

Recommend

Immigration issues sorted, Guatemala runner Luis Grijalva can now focus solely on sports

Want more Olympics? Sign up for our daily Postcards from Paris newsletter. PARIS (AP) — The last

Oklahoma judge orders Kansas City Chiefs superfan ‘ChiefsAholic’ to pay $10.8M to bank teller

TULSA, Okla. (AP) — An Oklahoma judge ordered a Kansas City Chiefs superfan known as “ChiefsAholic”

Dan Hurley will receive at least $1.8 million in bonuses with UConn's national title

In addition to a net, a trophy and a ring, Connecticut men’s basketball coach Dan Hurley will collec