A small aircraft crash at Eagle Mountain Lake on Monday afternoon resulted in the death of one person, prompting a thorough investigation and multiple recovery efforts in the area.
The crash occurred around 12:40 p.m. when a fixed-wing single-engine Champion 7EC aircraft plummeted into the lake.
Surveillance footage captured by a nearby house and obtained by NBC 5 News revealed the moments just before the crash. The video shows the aircraft rapidly descending before it plunges into the lake.
Authorities have confirmed that the sole occupant of the aircraft, an adult male pilot, was fatally injured in the crash.
Recovery efforts were immediately initiated, but divers faced challenges due to the aircraft’s condition and location within the lake, hindering the retrieval of the victim from the submerged wreckage, according to NBC 5. The victim’s body has since been recovered, but his identity has not been made public.
Aerial footage published by Fox 4 News shows the aircraft completely underwater, approximately 200 yards from the lake’s shoreline.
The Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office stated that it will assist with the investigation alongside the Tarrant Water Regional District.
Additionally, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are set to conduct detailed investigations to determine the cause of the plane crash. According to the FAA’s Statements on Aviation Accidents and Incidents, the NTSB will oversee the main investigation and will release all updates as they become available.
As recovery teams continue their work, the victim’s and the flight’s origins remain undisclosed to the public. However, according to the FAA, the small aircraft’s listed owner is Stephen Spence.
Neighboring residents of the area told WFAA that small aircraft often fly over Eagle Mountain Lake, which is bordered by several small airstrips and located near DFW Airport and the Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth.
As of the time of publication, the exact cause of the crash has not been specified or released to the public.