Former Lake Travis ISD employee ID'd as pilot in fatal plane crash in Burnet County

A single-engine plane was "totally engulfed" in flames after a fatal crash Monday at a privately owned airport in southern Burnet County, authorities said Tuesday.

At about 6:30 p.m., Texas Department of Public Safety troopers were notified of a crash near the 100 block of Piper Lane in Spicewood, an unincorporated area of Burnet County about 20 miles northwest of Austin. The pilot was pronounced dead at the scene, said DPS spokesman Sgt. Deon Cockrell.

The circumstances contributing to the crash, which is the subject of federal investigations, are unclear. Troopers identified the pilot as Wesley Perkins, 74, Cockrell said.

The National Transportation Safety Board — a federal agency that investigates transportation-related mishaps across the country and makes recommendations aimed at improving safety — is investigating the crash.

Preliminary information suggests the plane, identified as a Lancair Legacy FG, crashed while doing "touch and go" landings at the airport, said Sarah Taylor Sulick, a safety board spokesperson. In aviation parlance, a "touch and go" is a flight training maneuver in which an aircraft lands and takes off from a runway without coming to a full stop.

The safety board does not enforce regulations nor have the power to compel government agencies to take action. As part of the investigation, the board will review the actions and background of the pilot, the aircraft and the operating environment at the time of the crash. Such investigations involve gathering flight information and records, including recordings of air traffic control communication, the aircraft's maintenance history and witness statements.

Cockrell said DPS troopers refer aviation-related incidents to their federal counterparts, primarily the Federal Aviation Administration. Spokespeople for the federal aviation agency did not immediately respond to an inquiry Tuesday.

A preliminary FAA report states the aircraft "crashed under unknown circumstances" and notes a "post-crash fire." The plane's tail number was registered to Perkins, according to an FAA database.

Attempts to reach Perkins' family for comment were not immediately successful. The Lakeway resident previously worked at Lake Travis Independent School District before retiring in December 2019, a district spokesperson confirmed.

"We are saddened by the news and send our deepest condolences to the Perkins family," said Marco Alvarado, the district spokesperson, in a statement Tuesday.

The crash site is close to Spicewood Airport, a lakeside landing strip beside a small complex of aircraft hangars. The airport is owned by the Spicewood Pilots Association, according to property records. Messages to the Spicewood Pilots Association were not immediately returned.

The association's website touts the airport as the "friendliest airport in Texas." Perkins served on the board of directors for the association, according to his public LinkedIn profile.