According to The Washington Post, 21 passengers abroad on a private Texas plane had a close encounter with death on Tuesday when the plane failed to gain altitude during takeoff, got stuck in a fence and crashed in a near field. Despite the videos of the flaming plane wreckage, all 21 passengers survived the horrific crash.
Sgt. Stephen Woodard, Texas Department of Public Safety told the reporters, “I would like to start by saying this is a good day. This is actually a day of celebration for a lot of people.”
“No one is deceased and man, that is an awesome feeling for us right now as first responders,” he added.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the plane which was a McDonnell Douglas MD-87 took off shortly after 10:00 am CT on Tuesday. There were 18 passengers including a 10 year-old child and 3 crew members. The passengers were on their way to watch the Houston Astros play against the Boston Red Sox when the tragedy struck.
Fortunately, all the passengers safely exited the burning plane with only one passenger reporting minor back injury according to a statement from Waller County Judge Trey Duhon. “We can celebrate today,” he told the reporters.
The reason behind the plane’s failed takeoff is still unknown but the National Transportation Safety Board announced that they would be investigating the incident on a priority basis. While everyone else breathes a sigh of relief for the 21 passengers who walked out of the crash unscathed, it would still become a scarring experience for them, hopefully from which they can recover soon.