UPDATE: Pilot Supposed to Fly Eagles Banner over Cowboys Camp Is Okay, Airport Closed after Plane Crash

This is a terribly tragic story. The pilot hired by our friend, EROCK, died after the plane crashed shortly after takeoff from Compton-Woodley Airport in California, where it was scheduled to fly an Eagles banner over Cowboys practice at 5:30 P.M. ET. From ABC7 Los Angeles:

A single-engine plane crashed and burst into flames during takeoff at Compton/Woodley Airport in Compton Sunday afternoon, killing the pilot and severely injuring another person on the ground.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration, a banner-towing Aviat A1 crashed while picking up a banner at the airport in the 900 block of W. Alondra Boulevard shortly after 12:30 p.m.

The pilot was the only person on board. The surviving victim suffered non-life threatening burn injuries.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation.

EROCK says the money that was raised for the banner will be donated to the pilot’s family.

If you head over to EROCK’s Twitter feed, he’s not doing too well right now. Let him know this wasn’t his fault and just a freak accident that could have happened any time and any place.

Cowboys fans responded to the Eagles banner by organizing to fly one of their own during practice today – which happened to occur during the national anthem on the day the team honored the military – although it’s hard to imagine any of that was planned. It turns out what should have just been some fun and banter between two rival sports teams and their fans has taken a terrible turn.

Please pray for that pilot’s friends and family.

UPDATE: It would appear that the plane that crashed was not the one contracted to fly the Eagles banner over Cowboys training camp. We have two sources for this information, but it looks like EROCK will donate funds to the family of the pilot who died even if it wasn’t the plane scheduled to fly over the Cowboys camp.

Here’s a statement from EROCK via Twitter:

It’s still a terrible tragedy that happened for the pilot’s family who lost his life. We’re working on some things right now behind the scenes to band together and help the pilot’s family.