A Texas surgeon who served on a local school board and his two young children were killed in a plane crash Sunday.
Texas Department of Safety Dr. Heath Smith and his two children, ages 6 and 8, were killed when a small plane crashed in a pasture in Parker County near the town of Pooleville. told the Wise County Messenger..
Smith was flying a twin-engine Cessna C310 plane that took off from Dimmit County just before 11 a.m. and was scheduled to land in Bridgeport at 12:20 p.m. According to Flight Aware.
However, the plane never arrived at its destination.
Instead, it crashed around 1:15 p.m., and all three were pronounced dead at the scene, local newspapers reported.
The father and his children were the only people on board the Cessna.
Smith, a bariatric surgeon with Wise Health System, is vice president of the Paradise Independent School District, a position he has held since 2020.
The district's superintendent confirmed his and his children's deaths. CBS News Texas.
“Our hearts are broken for the Smith family,” Paradise ISD Superintendent Will Brewer said. “Words cannot fully express our sadness at their loss. The tragedy this family has endured is unimaginable.”
Mr. Smith was first elected to the school board in November 2017 and will be re-elected in 2023.
“Dr. Smith has been an integral part of our district as an alumnus, parent and board member,” Brewer said. “He was passionate about his love for Paradise ISD and his impact on our students and staff will be long-lasting. Please keep the Smith family in your prayers.”
The cause of the deadly disaster is unknown. The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration are investigating the crash.
