Deadly Hicks Airfield plane crash happened within a minute of takeoff, report says

A National Transportation Safety Board preliminary report places the Hicks Airfield crash about one minute after takeoff, with the aircraft climbing to around 875 feet and then reaching about 1,000 feet before descending.

The flight departed Hicks Airfield around 9:51 a.m., according to flight-tracking data reviewed by investigators. The single-engine Lancair IV-P then struck power lines along a road adjacent to the airfield, and pieces of the propeller and other aircraft parts were found beneath the lines.

Emergency responders arrived to find the plane on fire in a ditch after crossing the road. Most of the wreckage was burned, with portions of the tail landing against a nearby brick wall.

The pilot, John Unangst, 67, was the sole occupant and was pronounced dead at the scene. The NTSB notes that the preliminary report could change as investigators continue examining wreckage and evidence.

Investigators indicated the crash remains under active inquiry, with no cause released in the preliminary findings. The incident follows another fatal aviation accident near Hicks Airfield in October 2025, though the two events are not linked in the report.