CHAMBERLAIN, S.D. — Nine people died and three more were injured when a single-engine plane bound for Idaho crashed shortly after takeoff in South Dakota.
Peter Knudson with the National Transportation Safety Board told The Associated Press 12 people were aboard the Pilatus PC-12 when it crashed about 12:30 p.m. Saturday, shortly after taking off in Chamberlain, about 140 miles (225 kilometers) west of Sioux Falls.
Knudson said nine people were killed and three were injured. The small plane was bound for Idaho Falls, Idaho.
Authorities have not released the names of the victims. Brule County emergency manager Katheryn Benton told the Sioux Falls Argus Leader that the passengers ranged in age from 7 to 81. She said the three survivors were three men ages 28, 27 and 17.
Chamberlain and central south-central South Dakota was under a winter storm warning Saturday and Benton said planes were unable to land at Chamberlain at the time of the crash.
NTSB investigators were expected at the site later Sunday. Weather will be among several factors they will review, although no cause for the crash has been determined, Knudson said. Inclement weather was making travel to the site difficult, he said.
*** THIS AN UPDATE TO OUR ORIGINAL STORY BELOW ***
CHAMBERLAIN, S.D. — Authorities say nine people have been killed after a plane crashed in South Dakota.
Peter Knudson with the National Transportation Safety Board tells The Associated Press 12 people were aboard the Pilatus PC-12 when it crashed about 12:30 p.m. Saturday, shortly after taking off from Chamberlain, about 140 miles (225.3 kilometers) west of Sioux Falls.
Knudson says nine people were killed and three were injured. The single-engine plane was bound for Idaho Falls, Idaho.
Media reports say Chamberlain and central south-central South Dakota were under a winter storm warning at the time of the crash.
Knudson says weather will be among several factors NTSB investigators will review, but no cause has yet been determined. He says inclement weather is making travel to the site difficult.
No further information was immediately available.
