Flight instructor hailed as hero after Corpus Christi crash; remains in critical condition

A Texas flight instructor is being called a hero after rescuing his student from a burning plane. His family says he remains in critical condition.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — One week after a training flight crashed into power lines off Highway 44 near Corpus Christi International Airport, a flight instructor is being hailed as a hero as he remains in critical condition.

RELATED: Flight instructor identified in training plane crash near Corpus Christi International Airport

Cole Hohne, the instructor, and his active-duty Navy trainee, Malcolm Patchett, were both hospitalized following the crash and remain in San Antonio, according to family members.

Hohne is in critical condition, on a ventilator and under sedation at Brooke Army Medical Center, a family member told 3NEWS. Doctors have not been able to determine whether he will survive.

“They have not been able to tell us whether he’s going to make it or not,” the family member said. “Here we are, almost seven days after, and we didn’t know we’d get one day. So this is… this is a gift. It’s a gift that he’s with us.”

Family members say Hohne pulled his student from the burning aircraft after it went down.

“Once the plane went down, it burst into flames and he got out and pulled his student pilot out,” the family member said.

The actions may have saved the trainee’s life but left Hohne with third-degree burns across an estimated 75% to 80% of his body, the family member said.

“They teach them to save their student, save themselves and save the plane in that order,” the family member said. “And it appears he followed his training to a T.”

Good Samaritans rushed to the scene to help before first responders arrived. One of them, Melissa Ibanez, described what she saw in a statement to 3NEWS.

“When I reached the victims, another man had already stopped and was assisting one of them, which later I found out was the student,” Ibanez said. “I went to help the other victim … He had a severe burn to his left hand and arms.”

Hohne was briefly able to speak with his family by phone before being transported for treatment.

“He said he loved us and that he was in a bad accident … EMS were with him,” the family member said. “I think it was an EMS technician that let him call. So we did speak to him very, very briefly after, which is a miracle he was even conscious.”

Those who know Hohne say his actions were consistent with his character.

“When I’ve reached out to people in his life and told them what happened, they all said the same thing,” the family member said. “I’m not surprised that he helped and he saved his student.”

As Hohne continues to fight for his life, his family says they are leaning on faith and community support.

“Whether it’s online or in person or at church or anybody I come in contact with, the prayers work,” the family member said. “He’s living proof. Keep doing it. Keep doing it.”

Hohne remains in critical condition. 3NEWS will continue to follow this story as it develops.