Two Killed as Aircraft Crashes Near Fort Worth, Igniting Massive Fire

Two people were killed on Sunday afternoon when a Beechcraft King Air C90 crashed near Hicks Airfield in Tarrant County, Texas. The aircraft went down around 1:30 p.m., slamming into a parking area filled with 18-wheelers, trailers, and campers before erupting in flames.

The crash site, located along North Saginaw Boulevard between Fort Worth Alliance Airport and Meacham Airport, quickly became engulfed in heavy smoke and fire. Within minutes, emergency crews from multiple departments arrived and began fighting the blaze. Fort Worth Fire Department officials said the fire was brought under control about 35 minutes after the first reports came in.

Witnesses described the scene as chaotic and devastating. Gregory Delano, who ran toward the crash, said he saw a “giant ball of fire and smoke” and tried to find survivors but the wreckage was “completely engulfed.” Another witness, Theresa Brown, said the explosion’s intensity made it clear that “nobody survived that.”

At least ten tractor-trailers were damaged in the fire, which also sparked several small grass fires nearby. Footage from CBS Texas showed firefighters battling thick black smoke as flames tore through the area. A nearby commercial building also caught fire but was quickly contained.

Officials confirmed that both occupants of the aircraft were found dead at the scene. Their identities have not yet been released. The Fort Worth Fire Department said the plane had taken off from Alliance Airport, though its destination remains unknown.

The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the crash. Hicks Airfield representatives said the aircraft was not based at the private airport, which sits about 16 miles northwest of downtown Fort Worth.

For many witnesses, the tragedy unfolded in seconds. “We heard a loud boom and saw black smoke rising,” one nearby worker told local media. “By the time the fire crews got there, it was just too late.”