Orange County woman killed in West Texas plane crash

A tragic plane crash in Odessa, Texas, claimed the life of an Orange County woman last Tuesday.

Joleen Cavaretta Weatherly, a 49-year-old woman from Orange County, was one of two people on the flight who were killed in the accident. Weatherly’s family is planning a memorial service, for which a date remains undetermined.

The pilot, 48-year-old Joseph Vincent Summa of Bellaire, also passed.

Ector County Sheriff Mike Griffis said around 7 a.m. Aug. 20, a small Cessna Citation took off from a local airfield but struggled to gain altitude. The plane struck a power line as it crossed the roadway south of the airport before it struck a nearby restaurant.

The plane then continued through the building’s alleyway and impacted the ground, after which a large fire ensued.

Griffis said officials believe the plane exploded on impact, which caused the fire. He said the plane can carry up to 800 gallons of fuel, though officials are unsure how full the tank was at the time.

The incident caused damage to several buildings in the surrounding area, including mobile homes, storage buildings and outbuildings, as well as the building the plane initially hit.

One woman on the ground was taken to the hospital. Her current condition is unknown.

The reason the plane struggled to gain altitude remains unclear. The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are launching an investigation.

Griffis said he believes the pilot tried to steer the plane away from more densely-populated areas before it went down.

“The pilot was probably trying to keep it in the alleyway to minimize damage,” Griffis said. “God bless his soul.”

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