Second Plane Crash in Two Days Kills 1, Injures Another In Ponca City

Dan Bewley, News On 6

PONCA CITY, Oklahoma -- A second plane crash in just two days leaves one man dead and another critically injured.

A two-seater airplane crashed Saturday near the airport in Ponca City. Much of the information is still coming in and federal investigators are on their way to look at the evidence.

The Piper Cherokee 140 stopped upside down near an industrial park on the grounds of the Ponca City airport.

A Witness says he saw it make a final approach, then turned away, when he looked back the plane had already crashed. On board were two men.

"One was transported by ambulance to the Ponca City Medical Center and one was transported by helicopter to Wesley Medical Center in Wichita, KS." Said Captain Don Bohon of the Ponca City Police.

Their names have not been released while investigators contact their families. The man who was taken to the Ponca City hospital died shortly after.

The man flown to Wichita was last listed in critical condition. The Ponca City crash was the second small aircraft emergency in the past two days.

A Texas couple made an emergency landing near Claremore Friday evening. The couple walked away despite the back half off the airplane getting destroyed.

"When we got here one wing was fully engulfed there and, you know, you always look at the worst but they really come out of it good this time," said Tri-District Fire Chief Bob Anderson.

12/03/10 Related Story: Couple Escapes Serious Injury After Plane Goes Down Near Claremore

Police in Ponca City say it's too early to tell what happened there, for now they're documenting as much as they can so the FAA can do its job.

"We have investigators who have looked and who have photographed and we're waiting for the federal investigators to get here to do their investigation," Captain Bohan said.

Ponca City Police say the NTSB will also be involved in the investigation. The names of the people in Friday night's emergency landing have not been released.