Estimated read time: Less than a minute
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
GUADALUPE MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK, Texas (AP) — Federal officials say reports of a single-engine airplane crash earlier this month near the highest peak in Texas were erroneous and that wreckage found near the peak is from an earlier crash.
Authorities initially said the plane went down Dec. 8 in Guadalupe Mountains National Park at an elevation of about 8,700 feet above sea level. They said an explosion occurred and subsequent fire that could be seen for miles.
But park spokeswoman Elizabeth Jackson says the tail section of a plane found in the remote, rugged wilderness area is from wreckage dating from years ago.
She says the elevation in the park, high winds and cloud cover cause problems for pilots and it's not uncommon for crashes to occur.
Officials are still trying to determine how the fire started.
Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
