A 30-year-old man who was flying a 1972 Bellanca Super Viking when it crashed into a lake in northeastern Oklahoma on Saturday night, killing all three passengers, has been charged with three counts of manslaughter. Thomas Brent Caldwell, 30, of Pryor, Okla., apparently never had a pilot certificate and was drinking at the time of the accident, authorities said. Killed in the crash were Mariano Carlos, 15, of Pryor; and Eduardo Robles, 20, and Campos Gonzalez, 33, both from Mexico. Investigators said it appears the engine was not producing power when the airplane hit the water, and the passengers appear to have drowned. Caldwell is being held on $300,000 bail and appeared in court on Wednesday. Relatives of Carlos told reporters that Caldwell was a family friend and the boy had often asked to go flying. Saturday was his first, and last, flight.
Pilot Charged With Manslaughter After Fatal Crash
Key Takeaways:
- A 30-year-old man, Thomas Brent Caldwell, has been charged with three counts of manslaughter after a 1972 Bellanca Super Viking crashed into an Oklahoma lake, killing all three passengers.
- Authorities state Caldwell apparently never had a pilot certificate and was drinking at the time of the accident.
- Investigators believe the engine was not producing power when the plane hit the water, and the passengers appear to have drowned.
- The victims included a 15-year-old boy on what was tragically his first flight.
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