Small Texas-Bound Aircraft Goes Missing, Possibly Crashed Over Gulf Of Mexico
UPDATE: 11:03 p.m. EST — The Coast Guard is reportedly using a C-130 aircraft in its search for the plane that went missing after leaving Wiley Post Airport in Oklahoma City, according to ABC13.com. Officials said it is not yet known how many people were aboard the aircraft, which can seat four to five people. They are labeling the incident as an "aircraft emergency," CBS19 reported.
Original story:
A plane that took off from the Wiley Post Airport in Oklahoma City went missing Wednesday afternoon over the Gulf of Mexico and the Coast Guard sent out search and rescue party for the aircraft.
The plane was a Cirrus SR22, a small aircraft which can seat five people. It was supposed to arrive at an airport in Georgetown, Texas, but radar data showed that the flight kept going and flew south, out over the Gulf of Mexico.
#BREAKING @kfor has confirmed that the Coast Guard has sent search & rescue crews to the Gulf of Mexico to look for a missing plane & pilot from OKC. We're told the plane took off from Wiley Post Airport at 2:15 this afternoon. Details Developing.
— Patrick Spencer (@made4tv) January 4, 2018
The pilot was unresponsive and the Coast guard reportedly received word of a possible plane crash in the Gulf of Mexico, according to NBC affiliate KFOR.
“We are getting ready to send out an aircraft to search the waters off Freeport, TX (due south of Houston right on the Gulf). Our report shows 150 nautical miles off Freeport,” the Coast Guard said.
The Cirrus SR 22 is generally equipped with a parachute system, which requires someone to pull a lever in the event of an emergency. The plane is said to be registered to Abide Aviation LLC out of Edmond, Oklahoma, according to Fox23 News.
I'm hoping this is some kind of a glitch in the computer system. A plane that was to fly from OKC to The Austin area is showing a very odd flight path. Headed into Texas and then went into The Gulf. Far from its intended airport pic.twitter.com/F6HoECWdMt
— Damon Lane (@KOCOdamonlane) January 4, 2018
Ethan Narber, a pilot and aviation enthusiast, posted on Twitter that fighter jets were scrambled to intercept the plane and noted that the pilot was upright in his seat but unresponsive.
"Definitely a medical incident. So sad," he added.
Another eerie update on this story. Pilot was unresponsive to Air Traffic Controllers. Fighter jets scrambled to intercept the plane. Noted the pilot was upright in his seat, but not responding to anything. Definitely a medical incident. So sad. https://t.co/mbLYIMSdqx
— Ethan Narber ✈ (@Ethan_Narber) January 4, 2018
The incident occurred just a day after President Donald Trump took credit for 2017 being the safest year in commercial aviation.
“Since taking office I have been very strict on Commercial Aviation,” Trump tweeted Tuesday morning. “Good news — it was just reported that there were Zero deaths in 2017, the best and safest year on record!”
Trump was referring to a study by the Dutch aviation group called To70, which reported that there were no deaths in commercial passenger travel during 2017.
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