Small plane crashes in Fort Bend; pilot dies, passenger hurt

Flames engulfed a small plane Monday, Feb. 1, 2016 at a private air strip in Arcola. The incident happened about 10:40 a.m. the Houston Southwest airport, according to Lynn Lunsford, spokesman for Federal Aviation Administration. less Flames engulfed a small plane Monday, Feb. 1, 2016 at a private air strip in Arcola. The incident happened about 10:40 a.m. the Houston Southwest airport, according to Lynn Lunsford, spokesman for Federal ... more Photo: Cody Duty Photo: Cody Duty Image 1 of / 5 Caption Close Small plane crashes in Fort Bend; pilot dies, passenger hurt 1 / 5 Back to Gallery

One person died and another was seriously injured when a small plane crashed and caught fire Monday morning at an air strip in Arcola, in Fort Bend County.

The pilot, identified as 68-year-old Johnny Michael Johnson, died at the scene, according to a state Department of Public Safety news release. He was a flight instructor with an Arcola-based flight school, Houston Light Sport Aviation.

The passenger on board the plane, identified as 20-year-old Nezabian Derrale Thomas, was injured and transported to Memorial Hermann in Houston. Details of his injuries were not immediately released. He remained in critical condition late Monday.

The incident occurred around 10:20 a.m. at the Arcola airport on Highway 6 near McKeever Road, according to the release.

Online Federal Aviation Administration data show the plane, a P92 Echo Super, was registered to Houston Light Sport Aviation, LLC. The aircraft type was described as fixed wing single-engine.

Johnson was listed on the company's website as an instructor. His past experience included having been a staff flight instructor with the Marine Military Academy in Harlingen, and a member of the Air Force and Coast Guard auxiliaries. An Indianapolis native, Johnson "got to Texas as soon as he could," his bio reads.

Troopers said the aircraft was taking off when it hit a stationary plane. Confusion was initially created about the incident because original reports indicated the plane may have caught fire while a mechanic was working on it.

The crash occurred near a hangar, between two parked aircraft, and the plane looked as if it had been sitting there all along, FAA spokesman Lynn Lunsford said.

It's possible the pair was practicing landings at the time of the crash, Lunsford said.

The National Transportation Safety Board will lead the investigation.