Dying man found struggling to save passenger from fiery plane crash in Oklahoma

Two people died after an airplane crashed into a field and burst into flames, Oklahoma firefighters say.

Firefighters arriving at the scene of the burning wreck on Sunday, Dec. 10, found a man struggling to rescue a passenger from what was left of the single-propeller plane, the Oklahoma City Fire Department said in a news release. The plane was “fully engulfed” by fire, officials said.

The fire was quickly put out, firefighters said, but the passenger still trapped in the wreckage died at the scene. The man who was trying to rescue the passenger was taken in critical condition to a hospital, where he later died, according to the fire department.

That man was the pilot, firefighter Scott Douglas told KFOR, adding that despite the man’s ultimately fatal injuries, he was talking at the scene.

Officials say the plane crashed near Wiley Post Airport, a small airport on Oklahoma City’s northwest side.

The crash is being investigated by federal aviation officials, the fire department said.

This story was originally published December 11, 2023 at 11:49 AM with the headline "Dying man found struggling to save passenger from fiery plane crash in Oklahoma."