Pilot dead in Texas crash of F-16

An F-16 file photo

TULIA, Texas (CNN) -- An F-16 crashed into a field about five miles north of Tulia Monday evening, in the Texas Panhandle, killing the pilot, the plane's sole occupant, as his in-laws watched.

Air Force spokesman Doug Thar said the pilot was returning shortly after 6 p.m. to Fort Worth, where he served with an Air Force Reserve unit, the 301st Fighter Wing.

Wayne Beighle, of the Texas Department of Public Safety, said the plane had taken off from Hill Air Force Base in Utah.

The pilot was the son-in-law of the owners of the property on which the plane crashed, Beighle said. They were standing outside their farmhouse and watched the plane as it hit the ground, he said. They then reported the crash to authorities.

The plane slammed into a plowed field, leaving a 10-foot diameter crater, two to three feet deep at its deepest point, Beighle said.

Part of the plane bounced off the ground and clipped a barn, setting part of it afire. A stack of wood also caught fire, but both fires were extinguished soon after.

Debris was scattered a quarter-mile from the point of impact.

The pilot's identification was being withheld pending notification of his relatives.

Tulia is 52 miles south of Amarillo, in the Panhandle.

For more US news, myCNN.com will bring you news from the areas and subjects you select.

See related sites about US

Note: Pages will open in a new browser window

External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.