A plane crashed near a small south Tulsa airport on Tuesday night, killing at least two of the three people on board, a Federal Aviation Administration spokesman said.
The aircraft's pilot had taken off from Jones-Riverside Airport and planned to travel to Little Rock, Ark., but crashed when he attempted to return to the airport shortly after takeoff. The 1977 Cessna 210 hit a powerline in its approach, said FAA spokesman Roland Herwig.
The plane's registered owner is Thomas Hlavnicka of Big Sandy, Mont., Herwig said. After reading about the crash, Hlavnicka contacted the Great Falls (Mont.) Tribune to say that he sold the plane 10 days ago.
Dan Howard Aircraft, an aviation firm in Tulsa, bought the plane, he said. Hlavnicka said the plane had 180 flight hours on the engine and about 4,400 hours on its frame.
Off-duty officer on board
Little Rock Police Lt. Terry Hastings said one of those on board was an off-duty officer. Hastings said the officer had planned to purchase the plane.
Herwig said three people died in the crash, but Hastings said the initial FAA report was wrong. Hastings said the Little Rock officer survived the crash, but suffered a broken leg and several broken ribs.
Hastings declined to name the officer, saying the department was trying to contact the officer's family.
The crash was the second in the Tulsa metropolitan area in six weeks. On Oct. 17, a small plane carrying five people crashed in Glenpool, killing everyone aboard. That plane also had taken off from Jones-Riverside Airport.