Elzie McDonald: Arizona pilot with 50 years of experience dies in crash on way to Thanksgiving with family
PHOENIX, ARIZONA: An 87-year-old pilot from Arizona tragically lost his life in a plane crash on Tuesday, November 21 evening while en route to Dallas to spend Thanksgiving with family.
Elzie Monroe McDonald was flying a single-engine Mooney M20 aircraft, which crashed near a diner in Plano, Texas.
Elzie McDonald was sole occupant in plane
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed that McDonald was the only individual on board during the crash, which occurred shortly before 6 pm.
According to12news.com, McDonald, hailing from Aguila, Arizona, was on his way to visit relatives for the Thanksgiving holiday when the unfortunate incident took place.
His recent achievement of receiving the Master Pilot Award from the FAA, recognizing his commendable 50 years or more of safe piloting, was reported by the Wickenburg Sun.
“We're maybe not as active as we used to be, but we're here,” said McDonald before joining the the exclusive 50-year club.
The crash, resulting in McDonald's untimely death, caused damage to a restaurant in the vicinity.
"McDonald was just days away from celebrating his 88th birthday," the Plano Police Department wrote in a tweet.
UPDATE: Texas Department of Public Safety identified pilot, Elzie M. McDonald, from Arizona, was killed in the crash. McDonald was just days away from celebrating his 88th birthday. The investigation is being led by the @NTSB https://t.co/okeY0yQ4I4
— Plano Police (Texas) (@PlanoPoliceDept) November 22, 2023
NTSB investigator details plane crash, investigates equipment and airport connection
According to Brian Rutt, the NTSB investigator, the aircraft crashed and subsequently caught fire. Thankfully, there were no injuries reported on the ground, although a nearby vehicle also caught fire and was destroyed in the incident.
Dashcam footage captured moments before the plane's crash. Rutt noted that the investigation was in its early stages and revealed limited details, stating they were examining if the plane had any data recorder or communication device, neither of which are mandatory for aircraft like the Mooney M20.
The crash site was situated less than half a mile away from the Air Park-Dallas Airport, a small airport with a single runway.
Reports suggest the plane had taken off from this airport before the crash.
While a preliminary FAA report mentioned the crash occurred "while executing a go around," additional specifics were not immediately available. The authorities continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the tragic incident.