Had Originally Thought To Be Hired By Eagles Fans To Fly Over Cowboys Practice

The pilot of a banner towing plane was fatally injured in California Sunday after making multiple attempts to pick up a banner at Compton-Woodley Airport.

The plane was initially thought to have been hired by Philadelphia Eagles fans to fly a less-than-complimentary banner over the field in Oxnard, CA where the Dallas Cowboys were practicing, but that turned out to not be the case. Cowboys fans had reportedly flown a similar banner over an Eagles practice last week.

NJ.com reports that an Eagles fan who claimed to have made the arrangements Tweeted that the plane had gone down. User EROCK said on the social media site that "There will be no plane today. There has been an accident at the airport. I can't get into details right now. They just called."

The Los Angeles Times reports that the banner the pilot was trying to pick up was an ad for Bud Light. Witness Inkone Goodlow said that the plane made seven attempts to hook the banner. While the seventh attempt was successful, the plane suddenly nosedived into the ground. A post-impact fire ensued.

The pilot's name has not been released. The plane was registered to Wyoming Services in Laramie, WY, according to the FAA.

FMI: www.ntsb.gov