VAN ZANDT COUNTY, Texas – Last month, a tragic plane crash in Van Zandt County, Texas claimed the life of 60-year-old Roger D. Turner. The National Transportation Safety Board recently released a preliminary report detailing the circumstances surrounding the fatal accident. Turner, a resident of Edgewood, Texas, was fatally injured when his small plane crashed at approximately 6:13 p.m. on Dec. 26, 2023, near Canton.
According to the report, a witness heard radio transmissions from Turner indicating that the plane was west of Thompson Field Airport. Despite normal radio transmissions, the witness couldn’t determine if the plane was properly aligned with the runway. As a result, the plane veered off course, hitting trees and terrain before coming to a stop against a home.
The post-accident examination revealed that the airplane’s flight control system and propeller both displayed features consistent with engine operation at the time of impact. Despite the wreckage scattering about 500 yards across the front yard, there was no fire, preventing further damage.
The crash site, located approximately 60 miles east of Dallas and just north of Canton, is in close proximity to the Tailwind Airpark, an aviation-oriented community. Sen. Bob Hall, who witnessed the aftermath, described the scene as emergency crew members worked to extract Turner from the wreckage.
The NTSB report sheds light on the details of the tragic accident and the sequence of events leading up to the crash. The community mourns the loss of Roger D. Turner and awaits further investigation into the cause of the crash.