A Springfield man is dead after an airplane crash Wednesday morning in southeastern Texas County.
Texas County Sheriff Scott Lindsey said a 911 call came in at 7:16 a.m. regarding a plane down in a field on Bethel Drive just off of Highway 17, about four miles west of Summersville. Personnel from the sheriff’s department, Missouri State Highway Patrol and Summersville Fire Department responded.
Upon arrival, responders discovered a single engine 1963 Piper Cherokee 180 sitting upright in a stand of trees with one wing detached and lying about 20 feet from the rest of the aircraft. The plane had only one occupant, Robert F. Torp, 64, of Springfield, who was pronounced dead at scene by Texas County coroner Marie Lasater.Â
The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the crash.
Items found at the scene identified the pilot as Torp. Authorities said his family has been notified.
Lindsey said there were no witnesses to the crash.
The aircraft is registered to a person from Newport, Va.Â