Father and Son Recovering from Plane Crash

TYLER — July 4th is a memorable day in our Nation’s history. This last holiday was an Independence Day Gary and Aaron Buster will never forget. Their plane crashed into Lake Palestine around 2 p.m. on Friday. According to KETK, he plane crash may not be a good memory, but it is a day that will be unforgettable. Gary Buster is recovering at East Texas Medical Center. He had a fractured leg and lots of cuts and bruises, but his spirits were high. The day of the crash started as a father and son day of bonding.

“July 4th was supposed to be a fabulous day for everyone. We went to a fly in, up at Mineola Wisener,” said 56-year-old Gary Buster. “We saw all the puffy clouds come up a little bit, and Aaron said, ‘I’d like to fly this a little bit,’ and that’s fabulous for a father to pass that on to his son,” Buster said.

They were flying over Lake Palestine, making their way into the final approach of Aero Estates. Suddenly, everything went wrong.

“The left wing dropped, and when the left wing dropped, that was my first stall,” Buster said.

They went crashing into that lake at 120 mph. Thankfully, both Aaron and Gary were conscious and able to get out of their seat belts. Some nearby boaters threw them some life vests. In that moment, it turned from a father and son outing to a community putting aside their celebrations to help save their lives. Gary says he is most thankful his son is alive and healthy.