Small Plane Crash in Odessa Kills Two

A Cessna Citation business jet crashed shortly after takeoff from Odessa-Schlemeyer Field Airport in Texas, resulting in the deaths of two occupants and injuring one woman in a nearby mobile home. Witnesses reported that the plane struggled to gain altitude, clipping power lines before crashing into an alleyway and igniting multiple structures, including mobile homes and a restaurant. The fire caused by the crash led to significant property damage but was contained relatively quickly by fire crews. Ector County Sheriff Mike Griffis indicated that the pilot may have attempted to avoid residential areas, while the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board have launched investigations into the cause of the crash. The victims have been identified as Joseph Vincent Summa and Joleen Cavaretta Weatherly, both pronounced dead at the scene. The Red Cross has established a temporary shelter for those displaced by the incident.