Final words of pilot who crashed plane after ignoring instructions from air traffic control
Niamh Shackleton
Featured Image Credit: LinkedIn/Instagram/logan.tjames
A young pilot has died in a fatal plane crash in Texas.
Logan James, from Stokesdale, North Carolina, was flying a Cessna 172 Skyhawk at the time of the ordeal.
Setting off from the ATP Flight School located at Addison Airport on Wednesday (January 24), the 23-year-old headed towards East Texas.
While airborne, Logan - who had a private pilot certification - is said to have ignored air traffic controllers.
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According to authorities, James proceeded to fly east before he headed north toward the border of Texas and Oklahoma.
The aircraft then crashed into a field near Telephone and James was tragically pronounced dead at the scene.
Following the ordeal, ATP have issued a statement confirming that the plane was from its Addison training facility.
"On Wednesday, January 24, an ATP Cessna 172 from the Addison, TX, training center was involved in a fatal accident near Hugo, OK, northwest of Paris, TX," the statement began, as per CBS News.
"A private pilot certificated ATP student was the only aircraft occupant. The accident occurred in a remote area, and there were no injuries to anyone on the ground.
"ATP is fully cooperating with local emergency response, FAA, and NTSB authorities. More details will become available through the course of the investigation.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the pilot's family, loved ones, friends and colleagues."
Following James' death, his final words that were documented via audio recording have been released.
In the recording shared by ATC Live, the young pilot says: "I'm climbing up through a few clouds and then just gonna head outside of everything and, about right now, you'll probably realize that I'm not gonna listen to ya'll's instructions and I'm just heading to East Texas."
James continued: "I'm gonna pull the Comm 1 circuit breaker and the Comm 2 circuit breaker right here soon as I unkey the mic."
The 23-year-old's message was then cut off.
Air traffic control asked him to repeat what he'd said, but received no response.
They then proceeded to try communicate with James for 10 minutes, to no avail.
According to Mail Online, Texas Department of Public Safety said that James was allowed to use the aircraft for a practice flight maneuver, but Addison Police Department are investigating whether or not the plane was stolen.
It remains unclear how and why the plane crashed. The National Transportation Safety Board and the FAA are investigating.
James was described as 'a wonderful son, with a gentle and loving spirit' by his father.