School board vice president and two of his kids are killed when their plane crashed in rural Texas

Dr. Heath Smith and two of his children - ages 6 and 8 - were killed in a plane crash on Sunday afternoon, west of Dallas Fort-Worth, TexasSmith was the pilot of the doomerd aircraft, a Cessna C310 aircraftThe cause of the crash is still unknown and is being investigated by the FAA and the National Transportation Board  

A school board vice president and two of his young children – ages 6 and 8 – were killed when their plane crashed in rural Texas on Sunday.

Dr. Heath Smith, a general and bariatric surgeon, was piloting the twin-engine Cessna C310 aircraft with two of his sons, whose names were not released, on board when the plane lost radar and communication around 12.30pm, the National Transportation Safety Board told USA Today.

The plane was traveling from Carrizo Springs, Texas, near the U.S.- Mexico  border to Bridgeport in Wise County when it crashed near Poolville, an unincorporated community located about 38 miles west of Fort Worth, the Parker County Sheriff’s Office.

The sheriff’s office and emergency responders were alerted after receiving reports of a downed plane. The sheriff’s office confirmed all three people on board the plane, including the pilot, perished in the crash.

The cause of the crash is still unknown and is being investigated by the Federal Aviation Administration and the NTSB.

Dr. Heath Smith was one of the victims of Sunday’s deadly plane crash. Smith was a general and bariatric surgeon and the vice president of the Paradise Independent School District  school board

Smith with his wife Andrea pictured with their three sons

Smith with his wife, Andrea Smith, and his three young sons returning from a hunting trip

Wreckage from the doomed aircraft was found approximately 10 miles southwest of the Bridgeport Municipal Airport, according to preliminary information from the NTSB.

The agency said an investigator would be arriving at the crash scene on Monday morning to begin the process of documenting the scene and examining the aircraft that will then be transported to a facility for further evaluation, the news outlet reported.

Smith was vice president of the Paradise Independent School district in Texas and officials were distraught upon hearing the tragic news of their colleague.

‘Our hearts are devastated for the Smith family,’ said Paradise ISD Superintendent Will Brewer, according to ABC8 News.

‘Words cannot fully express the grief that we feel for their loss. The tragedy that this family has endured is unimaginable. Dr. Smith was a vital part of our school district as an alumnus, parent, and board member.

He was passionate about his love for Paradise ISD and his impact on students and staff will be long lasting. Please keep the Smith family in your prayers.’

A photo of Dr. Smith wearing headphones around his head as he is seen piloting a plane during a previous flight

Little is known about the trip Smith took with his two children, but it appears the devoted father of three was an aircraft enthusiast.

His social media page features photograph with his wife and three young sons enjoying hunting excursions, flying on planes, and frolicking on the beach.

Smith attended Texas A&M University College of Medicine and was a Fellow of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (FASMBS) and a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons.

His surgical experience ranged from bariatric, colonoscopy, colorectal, hernia, breast, appendix, gallbladder, surgical oncology and thyroid.

He was also the medical director for My Bariatric Solutions that has three locations in Decatur, Forth Worth and Waco, Texas.

Smith wrote in one of his bios: ‘My patients deserve a physician and surgeon that will treat them with compassion and understanding. A physician that will listen to them and treat them with respect and dignity.’

News of Smith’s sudden and tragic passing sent shockwaves through the community as many remembered him as a beloved and dedicated doctor, father, husband and wonderful human-being.

Many expressed their heartbreak and sent prayers to Smith’s wife and their oldest surviving son, including his former and present patients.

‘RIP Dr. Heath Smith and your two sweet sons!!,’ someone wrote.

‘I’m so sorry for this devastating loss. Praying for your wife, remaining son, and the rest of your family as they grieve. Life is so precious and this is just so tragic!!!

Another echoed the same sentiment, writing ‘a terrible loss.’

‘The Smith family has always been a pillar of the community. Praying for the rest of the family and those that worked with him,’ they said.

A patient wrote: ‘To the surgeon who changed my life, Dr. Heath Smith, my prayers are with your family at this time. The loss of you and your 2 children is un measurable.’