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Texas Surgeon And 2 Children Die In Texas Plane Crash
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A surgeon and two young children were killed Sunday when a small plane crashed in Parker County, near Poolville, on Sunday, officials said.
Dr. Heath Smith and two children, ages 6 and 8, were killed when a twin-engine Cessna C310 aircraft crashed into a pasture at around 1:15 p.m., the Texas Department of Safety told the Wise County Messenger. Smith was piloting the aircraft, and they were the only three people on board.
According to data from FlightAware, the aircraft took off from Dimmit County Airport in Carrizo Springs at 10:58 a.m., and was scheduled to land at the Bridgeport Municipal Airport at 12:20 p.m. The plane never arrived.
Authorities did not immediately reveal whether the children were Smith’s, noting only that they shared a last name. But Smith, a surgeon at My Bariatric Solutions, also served as vice president of the Paradise Independent School District, which confirmed the children on board were his own.
“Our hearts are devastated for the Smith family,” Paradise ISD Superintendent Will Brewer said in a statement to CBS News Texas. “Words cannot fully express the grief that we feel for their loss. The tragedy that this family has endured is unimaginable.”
Smith was first elected to the school board in 2017, and won his re-election in 2023.
Dr. Smith was a vital part of our school district as an alumnus, parent, and board member. He was passionate about his love for Paradise ISD and his impact on students and staff will be long lasting, Brewer said. Please keep the Smith family in your prayers.
The cause of the crash is unknown. The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating.
TMX contributed to this article.
