Local pilot dies after plane crashes in wooded area

Emergency crews had a hard time getting to the crash site in northern Medina County. Courtesy photo.

A local pilot from Pipe Creek lost his life tragically Sunday morning as his small single-engine plane crashed into a thick wooded area near the Bexar-Medina county line and started a grass fire. Medina County Sheriff Randy Brown said the pilot of the small-engine aircraft that fatally crashed was identified as Carl Bray, 68. The cause of the crash is under investigation. A witness did notified emergency responders after seeing the plane go down.
Emergency crews responded to wooded area near Potranco Elementary and Highway 211.
Officials on the scene confirm that the pilot was the only person on board.
The single-engine aircraft crash occurred on private property with no roads to get to the crash site. The plane as practically ‘unrecognizable’ after being engulfed in flames.
The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the crash. Fortunately the fire that started from the crash didn’t spread very far because it wasn’t very windy Sunday morning, but the terrain proved very difficult for first responders to navigate.
It is thought that the crash caused the aircraft to ignite, starting a small grass fire that was easily extinguished.
Brown said Bray took off from Freedom Springs ranch Airport Sunday morning, in Pipe Creek, just outside San Antonio in Bandera County. According to reports the 68-year-old pilot was possibly going to Castroville Airport to refuel his aircraft.
Bray was a hardworking private pilot who was enjoying retirement, had proudly served in the United States Marine Corps, and was married to Lynn Bray. He had five daughters, two stepdaughters and a step son.
Agencies responding to the crash site, include the Medina County Sheriff’s Office, Bexar County Sheriff’s Office, Bexar County Fire Department, Castroville Fire Department, Medina County ESD and the Texas Department of Public Safety.