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Texas pilot of small plane dies in crash as he tries to land

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ZAVALLA, Texas (AP) — Officials say a 40-year-old pilot died when his small plane crashed as he tried to land on a private runway in East Texas early Saturday morning.

The Texas Department of Public Safety said James Duke VanLue of Tomball was pronounced dead at the scene.

Officials said it appears the crash happened at about 2 a.m. but the scene wasn’t located till about 12:30 p.m. Capt. Alton Lenderman with the Angelina County sheriff’s office tells KLTV that the single-engine plane crashed north of Zavalla.