HOUSTON – A cargo airplane crashed into Trinity Bay on Saturday, killing the three people who were aboard.
Authorities are still investigating the cause of the crash, but witnesses reported hearing loud sounds coming from the aircraft before it plunged to the ground.
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Officials said Atlas Air 3591 was headed to George Bush Intercontinental Airport from Miami. Amazon confirmed that the plane belonged to its air cargo division.
According to FlightAware, an aircraft tracking website, the plane was at an altitude of 4,200 feet and traveling at 281 mph when contact was lost.
The Federal Aviation Administration reported that the plane was a Boeing 767 twin-engine aircraft.
According to Boeing, the 767 freighter plane is 52 feet tall, 180 feet long and has a wingspan of 156 feet. It can carry about 115,000 pounds and has a range of 3,255 nautical miles.
This plane was Boeing’s first wide-body twin-engine aircraft ever produced. It was first placed into commercial service in 1982 by United Airlines. Delta, UPS and FedEx all commonly use this type of plane.
It is one of Boeing’s most popular aircrafts with a cost of about $220 million.