Pilot from Tyler Killed in Amarillo Plane Crash

AMARILLO (AP/Staff) � A federal aviation spokesman says the pilot of a small plane was killed after it crashed in a Texas Panhandle neighborhood. Family members and business associates identified the pilot as Ben Harned IV. 53, of Tyler. Harned moved to Tyler years ago, but still owns Performance Motors in Amarillo. He was alone in the Piper PA-30 aircraft.

Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Lynn Lunsford says in an email that the pilot reported engine problems Thursday and was attempting to return to Tradewind Airport when the plane crashed in a yard by a mobile home. There were no reports of injuries to people on the ground. Police say the crash happened near a highway interchange within the Amarillo city limits. National Transportation Safety Board and FAA investigators were headed to the scene. Further details weren�t immediately available.