'They’re Fortunate To Walk Away': Family Okay After Private Plane Crashes Near Muskogee Airport

A Montana family is okay after their private plane crashed near the Muskogee Davis Regional Airport overnight.

It was a regular lunch hour Wednesday afternoon at Andy's Convenience Store in Muskogee as many locals grabbed their food and caught up before the holiday. A main topic of many conversations: the plane crash across the street.

“Not like this,” said local Matt Ashwood. 

Ashwood has lived most of his life in Muskogee, but he says this is a first.

“Used to have parachute competitions out here. I've seen skydivers shed parachutes and fall from the sky. I've seen belly landings, but I've never seen a crash like this,” he said. 

The National Transportation Safety Board said the twin-engine Cessna 340A crashed around 12:08 a.m. on Wednesday just off the runway. Ashwood said that's when he got a phone call about the crash and headed out there.

“I own property across the street with cattle and so I just wanted to make sure that it didn't take my fence out or something so I come down here about 12:30 last night,” he said. 

According to a statement from the NTSB, the airplane experienced engine failure, leading to the crash.

Before hitting the ground, the plane hit an old military jet landmark, a Lockheed T-33, tearing off the tail end.

“That's a landmark. When you're at Andy's Convenience Store and the airplane on the corner, that was where you told people, you know, kind of where you was at or where to go from,” said Ashwood. 

As the planes await further investigation, Ashwood believed this would be a Thanksgiving that would mean more to some this year.

“I hope they realize just how blessed they are that the Lord is actually looking out for them cause they're fortunate to walk away from that."

The crash is being investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration.

The NTSB said it would move the wreckage to a secure location for further examination.