Tahoe Plane Crash: Man Dies During Takeoff, Wife Survives [VIDEO]

A plane crash in Lake Tahoe has resulted in the death of a 67-year-old man, Steve Lefton, and injured his wife, Karen Lefton, who was the only passenger aboard Monday. She was trapped under the debris of the accident and is currently being treated for injuries at a nearby hospital. There is still no confirmation on the cause of the plane crash, though investigators reportedly found a leak in one of the plane's broken wings.

Witnesses told reporters that the plane looked to be losing altitude shortly after take off before it crashed into a nearby forrested area, the Examiner reported. Lt. Pete Van Arnum of the El Dorado County Sheriff's Office confirmed these statements with reporters.

"Several witnesses said that the aircraft was having difficulty getting lift as it was taking off from the airport and then it veered to the east and started loosing altitude and went down in forested area near a meadow area, crashed and flipped over."

An off-duty nurse walking by the scene discovered the wreckage and began administiring first aid to the victims. Rescuers inspected the area before removing Karen from under the remains of the accident to make sure it was safe. The couple was flying back to the Palo Alto Airport after spending the weekend in Tahoe with their family, ABC Bay Area reported.