Two dead in West Texas plane crash that sparked fire and injured woman

ODESSA, Texas (AP) — A small plane crashed in a West Texas neighborhood Tuesday, killing the pilot and a passenger and sparking a large fire on the ground that injured a woman, authorities said.

According to eyewitnesses, the plane had difficulty gaining altitude after taking off from an airport in Odessa, hit a power line and crashed in an alley at about 7 a.m., authorities said. Both people on board the plane died.

“It's obvious the pilot was trying to avoid the houses,” said Ector County Sheriff Mike Griffis.

The large fire on the ground broke out after several explosions following the plane crash, he said.

In addition to some trailers, some outbuildings in backyards also caught fire, said Jason Cotton, head of the Odessa Fire Department. The injured woman had to be rescued from one of the burning trailers and taken to a hospital, he said. In the city, which has a population of around 114,000, there was also damage to vehicles, fences and a restaurant.

The Texas Department of Public Safety identified the pilot as Joseph Vincent Summa, 48, of the Houston suburb of Bellaire, and the passenger as Joleen Cavaretta Weatherly, 49, of Orange, east of Houston.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said the aircraft was a Cessna Citation business jet. The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the incident.