Small plane crashes in home’s backyard in Houston

A small plane crashed onto the backyard of a house in South East Houston, close to the Dobie 9th Grade Center. According to the Houston Fire Department, no one was injured.  

@HoustonFire Crews are responding to a confirmed small engine aircraft crash at the 8600 block of Heathglen Ln. No injuries reported. Please avoid the area due to high emergency response traffic. @FireChiefofHFD

— Houston Fire Dept (@HoustonFire) May 6, 2022

The Cessna 421 C Golden Eagle took off from Hobby Airport at around 2:19 p.m. with four passengers on board. A few minutes later, the pilot contacted the tower. "We are having problems with our engine. Please turn back to the airport if possible."

As the tower was trying to direct the plane to the airport, the pilot said: "We are not going to make it." 

The plane crashed, tearing down a fence and stopping only a few yards away from a few homes in the 8600 block of Heathglen Lane. The plane was mostly intact but had some damage to its right wing after the emergency landing.

One of the homeowners, Lala Gonzalez, said he was on his way home from picking up his daughter when a neighbor called him saying that there was a plane on his lawn. 

"I come in here and the police they told me I can't go into my home, I need to wait," Gonzalez said. "They cut off the gas, the electricity, so I don't know until what time I can come in my home."

Sparks from the plane crashed caused a nearby gazebo and fence to catch fire. A video shared on social media shows the airplane on the ground and flames spreading next door before firefighters showed up at the scene. 

Viewer video captured fire after a plane crashed near Hobby Airport today. According to @HoustonFire, four people were on board. All four were able to get out without injury. https://t.co/nTv4S1XJmP #HOUNews pic.twitter.com/am2iHrFY6n

— KHOU 11 News Houston (@KHOU) May 6, 2022