Five dead in plane crash were environmental consultants on their way to a metal factory explosion

Five people killed when a small plane crashed shortly after takeoff near Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport in Little Rock, Arkansas were a group of environmental advisers.

All of the deceased worked at the Center for Toxicology and Environmental Health and traveled to Columbus, Ohio to respond to a deadly explosion at a metals plant in Bedford.

The twin-engine plane they were traveling in crashed near a factory within a mile of the airport around noon on Wednesday.

Lt. Cody Burk, spokesman for the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office, said there were “no survivors” after the plane crash.

Several law enforcement agencies are on site investigating the wreckage, with local reports suggesting there were high winds and thunderstorms in the area at the time of the crash.

dr CTEH senior vice president Paul Nony confirmed that the five who died worked at the company.

He said: “We are incredibly saddened to report the loss of our colleagues at Little Rock. We ask everyone to keep the families of the lost and the entire CTEH team in their thoughts and prayers.’

Five people were killed in a light plane crash near Bill and Hillary Clinton Airport in Little Rock, Arkansas

The Federal Aviation Administration said the plane was a twin-propeller Beech BE20 engine. The plane pictured is not the plane involved in Wednesday’s incident

The Federal Aviation Administration said the plane was a twin-propeller Beech BE20, which was en route to Ohio’s Columbus International Airport when it crashed shortly after takeoff.

A large plume of white smoke rose from the crash site, which was reportedly outside a 3M Co factory.

It is currently unclear what caused the plane to crash or who the victims were on board the light aircraft.

Authorities noted that the weather in the area had been severe, hampering their immediate investigations into the wreck.

The weather around the airport had seen significant gusts of wind at the time of the crash, according to Arkansas Storm Team meteorologist Pat Walker.

The National Weather Service said a series of thunderstorms had moved through the area, including wind gusts of 40 miles per hour.

The Pulaski Sheriff’s Office said it is investigating whether weather played a role in the incident.

The twin-engine machine crashed around noon on Wednesday

Authorities confirmed that there were no survivors after the wreck

Witness Dennis Gordon told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette that he was standing nearby when he heard a large explosion after high winds blew into the area.

He said the first blast was followed by several other smaller blasts, resulting in a fire and a large plume of smoke.

“It was just red, then it starts to turn black and there’s this burnt smell,” Gordon said.

The witness added that after the crash, a large amount of smoke filled the sky and firefighters were quick to douse the blaze.

The Little Rock Police Department has confirmed that the investigation into the crash is being conducted by Pulaski County.

The Little Rock Fire Department, the FAA, and several other federal and state agencies were also at the scene.

The National Transportation Safety Board is also reportedly due to arrive at the crash site late Wednesday afternoon as authorities continue to investigate what caused the tragedy.

The small twin-engine plane was en route to Ohio when it crashed shortly after takeoff

Lt. Cody Burk, spokesman for the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office, said officers were still working to determine the cause of the plane crash

Source: | This article originally belongs to Dailymail.co.uk