Fog May Have Been A Factor

The pilot and sole person onboard a Cessna 210R attempting to land Monday night at a Houston, TX airport was killed when his plane crashed in a heavily wooded area not far from the runway.

KTRK-13 reports the aircraft, heading from Lafayette, LA to West Houston Airport (IWS), impacted shortly before 1900 local time Monday, near Farm-to-Market road 3180 and south of 565.

Neighbors heard the aircraft (type shown below, right) circling in the area, followed by the sound of impact.

"It was a densely wooded area, its moody out there," said Chambers County Sheriff Joe Larive. "The plane came in, took out several trees and demolished the plane and we have wreckage spread out pretty much over the wooded area."

Officers believe fog in the area may have contributed to the accident. There is no immediate evidence of an IFR flight plan filed for the accident aircraft.

IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 968CC        Make/Model: C210      Description: 210, T210, (Turbo)Centurion
  Date: 02/05/2008     Time: 0045

  Event Type: Accident   Highest Injury: Fatal     Mid Air: N    Missing: N
  Damage: Destroyed

LOCATION
  City: BAYTOWN   State: TX   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
  AIRCRAFT CRASHED UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES, THE ONE PERSON ON BOARD WAS
  FATALLY INJURED, NEAR BAYTOWN, TX

INJURY DATA      Total Fatal:   1
                 # Crew:   1     Fat:   1     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
                 # Pass:   0     Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
                 # Grnd:         Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   

WEATHER: NOT REPORTED

OTHER DATA
  Activity: Unknown      Phase: Unknown      Operation: OTHER

  FAA FSDO: HOUSTON, TX  (SW09)                   Entry date: 02/05/2008

FMI: www.faa.gov, www.westhoustonairport.com/