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Twin-Engine Plane Crashes In Denton County

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ARGYLE (CBSDFW.COM) - Federal investigators are trying to determine what went wrong when a plane crashed in Denton County on Wednesday night, killing the pilot. It happened near the intersection of Highway 377 and Stonecrest Drive, close to several warehouses and Cross Timbers Community Church.

It was very dark outside -- even foggy -- when the crash took place at around 9:00 p.m. Wednesday night. Officials said that the twin-engine Cessna 441 was supposed to land at Denton Municipal Airport. But there is a chance that the plane clipped a building in the area during its approach.

The crash site was located about six miles south of the airport.

Denton County Plane Crash
(credit: KTVT/KTXA)

"I heard a loud noise, a plane very low," recalled Brandon McLean, who heard the late crash. "Then, out of nowhere, got really loud, just like you would hear in the movies." The man stepped outside to see what had happened, but said that it was dark, misty and hard to see.

First responders from Denton County, Flower Mound and Argyle were called to the scene.

William Graves
(credit: Graves Family)

The pilot was killed in the plane crash. He was later identified as 52-year-old William Graves of Flower Mound. He was the only person onboard the plane when it went down. Investigators from the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are trying to determine if the weather conditions contributed to the man's death.

Graves had been flying for 28 years. He and his family moved from Minnesota about a year ago, and Wednesday's flight was a return trip from the state. Graves leaves behind a wife and six kids between the ages of 5 and 20. He worked with Domino's, starting out as a driver and going on to own several shops.

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