WESLACO, TEXAS -- A preliminary report by the National Transportation Safety Board revealed Monday that uneven fuel load caused a small plane to crash in Weslaco on July 3.
The aircraft crashed just feet from the runway.
The NTSB report stated the pilot, Ralph Copeland of Brownsville, fueled the plane at South Texas International Airport in Edinburg.
While fueling the right tank, the fuel nozzle is believed to have broken off and Copeland was unable to get the nozzle before he took off.
Copeland died in the crash.
His passenger, Aaron Voreis, was injured.
A final NTSB report will not be available for about a year.
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