BEAUMONT, Texas — Texas law enforcement officials have called off the search for a crashed aircraft after receiving false reports about a down plane near the Polk and Tyler County line.
Tyler County's Emergency management director Ken Jobe tells 12News the situation was being investigated after multiple reports to 911, but no military aircraft was found.
Kobe said he believes there was an error in the reporting from the 911 calls.
"There was a plane witness, and there was smoke on the ground. But the smoke on ground was determined to be controlled burns, not a crash. Units are being called off and going back in service. Nothing was found," Kobe said.
Troopers with the Texas Department of Public Safety in the Southeast Texas Region also confirmed there's no scene and no crash. The plane landed safely at Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana.
On Wednesday around 2:30 p.m., an AMBUS from the Atascocita fire department and the Southeast Texas Regional Advisory Council were dispatched to an "aircraft emergency" near the Tyler County Airport.
Multiple reports to local authorities of a military plane crash near Woodville prompted the investigation.
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Full release from Tyler County Sheriff's Office...
On March 3rd 2021, at approximately 2 pm, the Tyler County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a military plane flying low to the ground, with smoke coming from an engine.
The citing was reported near the Tyler and Polk County line. First Responders concentrated search efforts around and near FM 1943 West of Warren, to Highway 190 West of Woodville, into Polk County.
The Tyler County Sheriff’s Office, Polk County Sheriff’s Office, Texas Department of Public Safety Troopers & Air Units, Texas Game Wardens, Texas Forestry Service, Warren Fire Department, Tyler County Emergency Management Office, Alabama Coushatta Fire Department and Air & Ground Medical Units from Southeast Texas participated in the search.
Approximately 2 hours later, responders received information that the aircraft had made a safe landing at the Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana.
