Mineral Wells Index, Mineral Wells, TX

Local News

October 28, 2008

Pilot survives Brazos crash landing

By Lacie Morrison
lmorrison@mineralwellsindex.com

PALO PINTO COUNTY – A Cesna plane crashed Sunday afternoon in the Brazos River near Village Bend Road, knocking out power to area residents and sending the pilot to the hospital.

Texas Department of Public Safety Sgt. Jason Dudley confirmed they were notified of the wreck at 3 p.m. Sunday and secured the area. They also notified the Federal Aviation Administration.

Dudley reported the plane’s sole occupant was the owner/pilot, Steven Michael Toft, 51, of Fort Worth.

Toft was reportedly flown by air ambulance to John Peter Smith Hospital with lacerations and a head injury. He was reportedly in stable condition, according to officials.

FAA Inspector Dale Johnson told the Index they have yet to determine a cause of the crash. He confirmed that the plane, a Cesna 172, sustained “sufficient, substantial damage.”

The plane apparently clipped an electrical line in its descent, according to various officials.

United Cooperative Services Vice President of Communications Marty Haught said they were notified around 4 p.m. that a plane clipped one of their electric distribution lines.

“Originally, 165 meters were out,” Haught said, adding that some houses have more than one meter. “The line snapped but the poles were fine.”

Though he’s not visited the site himself, Haught said, “The span was 900 feet long from pole to pole. Each pole is 40 feet tall on each side of the river.”

In order to restore power, the electric company had to rebuild the line. According to Haught, “We had the power [completely] back on at 7:45 p.m.”

According to Johnson, the plane had not been removed from the scene as of early Monday afternoon and the crash is still under investigation.

Text Only
Local News
Featured Ads
Front page
Front page
Front page
Seasonal Content
Community Calendar
Loading…
Events by eviesays.com
AP Video
UN Blames Syrian Forces for Shelling Houla Raw Video: Gay Protest Blocked in Moscow Vatican in Chaos After Butler Arrested for Leaks Jimmy Carter Endorses Egypt's Election Results Biden Addresses West Point Graduating Class Dozens of Children Killed in New Syria Attack Raw Video: Activists Allege Massacre in Syria NJ Man Charged With Murder in Death of Patz Support, Fun for Kids of Fallen Soldiers at Camp Fugitive Penguin Caught, Returned to Aquarium 50 Years Later, Underground Fire Still Burning Light Show Transforms Sydney Opera House Raw Video: Unruly Passenger Restrained in Miami Raw Video: Robber Uses Drive-thru Window Raw Video: Dragon Arrives at Space Station Calif.'s Coronado Named Nation's Best Beach CEO Salaries Become Sore Issue in Labor Disputes
Hyperlocal Search
Premier Guide
Find a business

Walking Fingers
Maps, Menus, Store hours, Coupons, and more...
Premier Guide
Popular Searches
Powered by Local.com
Stocks
Parade
Magazine

Click HERE to read all your Parade favorites including Hollywood Wire, Celebrity interviews and photo galleries, Food recipes and cooking tips, Games and lots more.
Front page
Poll

President Obama on Wednesday said he is for legalizing same-sex marriages. Do you agree?

Yes
No
Undecided
Don't care
     View Results