Two people died when their light aircraft crashed in Central Texas on Sunday morning, May 29.
Lisse Colon, 61, and Michael Langston, 58, both residents of Bay City, Texas, died in the crash, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety (TDPS).
The Federal Aviation Administration released a statement to local news outlets in the wake of the crash:
“An Airborne Windsports Edge 912 weight-shift control aircraft crashed in Granite Shoals, Texas, around 7:00 a.m. local time today. Two people were on board. The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will investigate. The NTSB will be in charge of the investigation and will provide additional updates.”
The Granite Shoals Police Department, TDPS, the Burnet County Sheriff’s Office, and Granite Shoals Fire Rescue responded to the incident. Police advised residents on Facebook to “avoid the area off Forest Hills [Drive],” near Granite Shoals airfield.
The description of the aircraft provided by the FAA resembles the lightweight powered hang gliders, sometimes known as “trikes,” maintained by local business Fly Texas. Located near the crash scene, Fly Texas offers hang gliding and piloting lessons, as well as aerial tours of Central Texas.
The FAA does not require any licensing to own or operate an ultralight trike. However, it does require piloting certification via ultralight aircraft associations.
According to the FAA, “the ultralight community has taken positive action and developed programs almost two decades ago gaining FAA approval for their implementation.”
Under FAA rules, trike operators are not allowed to conduct commercial tours but are allowed to sell flights as “introductory pilot training.”
The NTSB also does not keep data on trike accidents because “officially trikes are for sport, not transportation,” according to aviation writer Paul Engstrom.
Granite Shoals is located in Burnet County, roughly 60 miles northwest of Austin.
