One person dead after small plane crashes into Eagle Mountain Lake

The pilot of a small plane was killed after the aircraft crashed Monday afternoon into Eagle Mountain Lake, officials said.

The single-engine Champion 7EC went down around 12:40 p.m., according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

Live video from the scene showed parts of the small aircraft, which appeared to be the tip of its wing, sticking up from the murky water as a rescue boat navigated the lake.

First responders were not immediately able to retrieve the victim because of extensive damage to the plane, according to Chad Lorance, spokesperson for the Tarrant Regional Water District. Teams took a break but were planning to resume retrieval efforts Monday evening.

The victim was believed to be the only person on the plane, Lorance said.

He was identified as 60-year-old Stephen Lee Spence, according to online Tarrant County medical examiner records. His death is listed as an accident.

A Fort Worth Fire Department incident report showed crews were called around 12:40 p.m. for a report of a drowning at 11000 Lakeside Drive. A spokesperson for Fort Worth fire said the department had responded with a dive team to the scene.

In a social media post, the Tarrant County sheriff’s office said it was assisting crews from the Tarrant Regional Water District with the response on the north central side of Eagle Mountain Lake.

It was not immediately clear what caused the crash. The National Transportation Safety Board confirmed it is investigating, as is standard for plane crashes.

Small planes crash almost once a month in Dallas-Fort Worth, making it about three times more dangerous than commercial aviation. Weather and pilot malfunction are the main reasons why small planes crash.