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NTSB: Odessa plane crash investigation may take up to 18 months to complete

One pilot is dead after crashing an airplane in Odessa Wednesday night.
Photo of plane that crashed into a silo in Ector County Wednesday night (Source: KWES)

One pilot is dead after crashing an airplane in Odessa Wednesday night.

The National Transportation Safety Board officials shared preliminary information about the deadly crash showing the single-engine aircraft crashed Wednesday night around 7 p.m.

Investigators said the plan hit a silo-type structure near the Cemex Cement Plant located in the 16000 block of West Murphy Street.

Federal officials said they have yet to send NTSB investigators to the scene. They have to wait for crews out there to recover what is left of the aircraft first.

"We often don't put an investigator out until the whole process is complete," said NTSB spokesperson Peter Knudson.

The Department of Public Safety said the only person on board the plane was Clayton Ray Chennault. He was dead when authorities arrived.
It is still unclear where he was heading and where he was flying from but officials have confirmed the plane was heading east.

FAA registry data we obtained reveals the owner of the plane is registered as LM Air Patrol Service, a company based in Midland. We reached out to the company but they were not available for comment.

DPS said they turned the case over to the FAA. NTSB is currently involved with the investigation. They said it can take from a year to 18 months.

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