Fatal Plane Crash under Investigation

CHEROKEE COUNTY — The National Transportation Safety Board will be in East Texas Tuesday following a fatal plane crash. According to the Department of Public Safety, around 3:00 Monday afternoon, Troopers responded to a report of an airplane crash in a field off of CR 4303, approximately seven miles north of New Summerfield, in Cherokee County. The preliminary investigation report indicates that the pilot of the Cessna 150, Keith Michael McElvain, 76, of Jacksonville, took off from the Cherokee County Airport just after noon. The plane apparently struck the guy wires of a television tower and crashed. The pilot was the only occupant and was pronounced dead at the scene. The NTSB will continue the investigation.