Dateline: November 1, 2001

Plane crashes south of Clarendon Friday   

Roger Estlack, Clarendon Enterprise

A single-engine airplane crashed in rural Donley County last Friday evening, and both people on board escaped injury.

Sheriff Butch Blackburn said David Lee Williams flew the Bellanca 17-30A to Clarendon from Plainview with his passenger Tami Campbell to visit her sister here. Williams circled Broncho Stadium during Friday night’s game and also flew over Clarendon College and Greenbelt Lake hoping attract the sister’s attention.

Later, the plane had just taken off from Clarendon Municipal Airport for a return to Plainview when the engine died and could not be restarted. Williams sent out a distress signal to an American Airlines plane overhead, then crash-landed his plane on Mark Allen’s place near Sandy Camp.

The American Airlines flight signaled Amarillo International Airport which contacted the local sheriff’s office at 8:55 p.m.

Blackburn said another plane also picked up Williams’ distress call and circled the crash site to help rescuers. Local pilots Andy Wheatly and George Self also assisted in locating the plane. The wreck was found about an hour later, and DPS Trooper Chris Ward was the first to reach the site with the assistance of a nearby resident who had a four-wheel drive truck.

The pilot told authorities he believed the fuel pump might have failed but was not certain. FAA officials were scheduled to investigate the wreckage this week.

The plane is owned by Jim Lofton of Pecos, Texas. Williams is a friend of the owner and was listed on the insurance papers, Blackburn said.