On the evening of Saturday, May 24, at around 10:30 p.m., the Chambers County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a possible downed aircraft.
CHAMBERS COUNTY, Texas — A plane crash in Chambers County has claimed the lives of a grandfather and his young grandson following an overnight search that ended early Sunday morning.
On the evening of Saturday, May 24, at around 10:30 p.m., the Chambers County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a possible downed aircraft in the area of FM 1724, south of Interstate 10 in Hankamer.
The missing aircraft, identified as a red and white low-wing “Commander,” was occupied by Larry Motte of La Porte, Texas, and his young grandson from Austin according to the Chambers County Sheriff’s Office.
Flight data revealed the aircraft had last transmitted information at approximately 4:57 p.m. Saturday, indicating a sudden and steep loss of altitude.
A large-scale search effort was quickly launched involving the Chambers County Sheriff’s Office, Texas Game Wardens, Texas Department of Public Safety, and the United States Coast Guard. Search teams deployed helicopters, drones, and ground crews to comb the dense and remote terrain throughout the night.
Tragically, the wreckage of the aircraft was located in a heavily wooded area near its last known coordinates early Sunday morning. Both occupants were found deceased at the crash site according to the Chambers County Sheriff’s Office.
The investigation into the cause of the crash has been turned over to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
The Chambers County Sheriff’s Office expressed their condolences to the family and extended their thanks to the numerous agencies, volunteers, and landowners who assisted in the search.
This is a developing story. We will update with more if and when we receive more confirmed information.