Pilot killed in crash after allegedly stealing plane from Texas flight school

A 23-year-old man is dead after stealing a plane from a Dallas-area flight school and crashing it in a rural area of Northeast Texas.

Authorities identified the pilot as Logan Timothy James from Stokesdale, North Carolina.

He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The crash happened around 8:30 p.m. Wednesday about nine miles northeast of Telephone, Texas, near the Red River in Fannin County, according to a news release from the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) obtained by Fox 4 Dallas. 

DPS stated that a preliminary investigation shows a Cessna 172 was stolen from ATP Flight School in Addison on Wednesday night.

From there, the plane was flown more than 80 miles northeast toward Paris.

James was the only person in the aircraft and no other injuries were reported, according to investigators.

DPS told Fox News Digital that the National Transportation Safety Board is now leading the investigation into the crash and is being assisted by the Federal Aviation Administration.