BROOKSHIRE, TEXAS – The plane that ran off a runway, rolled through a fence and caught fire in a field while attempting to depart from Houston Executive Airport in Brookshire near Katy on Tuesday, is registered to 987 Investments, LLC, according to FAA records.
State records show James Alan Kent owns the LLC of the 1987 McDonnell Douglas MD-87 and a number of other companies.
Kent was also a passenger on the aircraft at the time of the crash but was not flying the plane, according to reports.
“He doesn’t fly. He never flies ... that I know of,” said one of Kent’s employees.
Kent is a successful land developer and homebuilder in the Houston area, and a lifetime board member of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. According to an employee of his development company, he has loved planes for a long time and owns a couple of them.
“He used to have an aviation company. I thought he did. That’s what I was told,” one of his employees told KPRC 2.
According to records found by KPRC 2 Investigates, the 1987 McDonnell Douglas MD-87, which seats 19 people, was currently on the market for $3,950,000. The listing indicated the plane had recently overhauled wheels, new tires, and brakes.
Images from the listing also showed the inside of the plane was equipped with couches, recycling seats, a table, bed, bathroom and a desk area.
Watch the video below to learn more about the history of the plane: