On February 23, a twin-engine Boeing 757 carrying Amazon packages nose-dived into Trinity Bay near Anahuac, TX, killing three people on board. The cargo plane was operated by Atlas Air and flying for Amazon was in route from Miami, FL, to George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston.

The Texas Department of Public Safety said a civilian contacted the Chambers County Sheriff’s Office Saturday afternoon to report witnessing an aircraft crash into the water. In addition to the remains of the plane, there was a mile-long trail of debris consisting of Amazon deliveries.

The following are the government and law enforcement agencies at the scene:

• U.S. Coast Guard
• Houston Police Department
• Harris County Sheriff’s Office
• Chambers County Sheriff’s Office and Fire Department
• Texas Department of Public Safety
• Texas Parks and Wildlife

One person out of the three has been identified as 36-year-old Sean Archuleta, who was a pilot for another airline but was riding in the passenger seat aboard Atlas Air Flight 3591. His roommate told the Houston Chronicle that the Mesa Airlines Captain was weeks away from flying for United Airlines—considered his dream job—and a new father.

Forty-four-year-old First Officer Conrad Aska—who was the co-pilot—was also identified.

Atlas Air Inc. released the following statement:

“This is to confirm that an Atlas Air 767 cargo aircraft Flight No. 3591 operating from Miami to Houston has been involved in an accident this afternoon. We understand the aircraft went down near the city of Anahuac Texas, in the Trinity Bay. We can confirm there were three people on board the aircraft. Those people and their family members are our top priority at this time. Atlas Air is cooperating fully with the FAA and NTSB. We will update as additional information becomes available.”

Ever since entering service in 1982, the Boeing 767 is considered one of the safest and most reliable aircrafts in plane history. Out of more than a thousand of these airplanes, only two have accidentally gone down, according to AirSafe. There are several cases involving emergency landings due to inclement weather or running out of fuel, hijackings, and a suicide.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will most likely determine the cause of the crash within a year to 18 months. However, once the black box is retrieved, perhaps the pilots’ accounts will reveal how the tragedy unfolded.

If you lost a loved one in a plane accident in Texas, contact our Houston personal injury attorney at the Daspit Law Firm and schedule a free consultation today.