FAA report reveals details of fatal Rusk County plane crash
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RUSK COUNTY, Texas (KLTV) - The Federal Aviation Association has released its preliminary report revealing details behind a plane crash on April 19 between Tatum and Easton on County Road 2194.
The pilot, identified as Capt. William James Weatherspoon, died when his plane crashed in Rusk County. According to the FAA report, Weatherspoon was in his Cessna 340A and was testing out a newly upgraded autopilot system.
Weatherspoon had been a pilot for American Airlines from 1973 until his retirement in 2007. Afterward, he got back into general aviation, working at Stebbins Aviation in Longview, according to his obituary.
Pilot who died in Rusk County plane crash retired from American Airlines
According to the FAA initial report, the “aircraft crashed under unknown circumstances,” and the damage was listed as “substantial. Author: Staff (Longview News-Journal) Updated: 9:43 PM CDT April 26, 2021
RUSK COUNTY, Texas A man who was a career airline pilot and later flew for Stebbins Aviation in Longview died in a plane crash this past week in Rusk County.
William J. Weatherspoon, 74, died in the April 19 crash, Rusk County Justice of the Peace Pct. 2 Cindy Redmon confirmed Monday.
In a preliminary report released the day after the crash, the Federal Aviation Administration confirmed the pilot had died; however, the agency did not release the pilot’s name. The pilot was the only person on board the aircraft at the time of the crash.