Four dead, several injured after plane crashes at Kansas airport
By Alice Mannette WICHITA Kan. (Reuters) - A small airplane crashed into a building at Mid-Continent Airport in Wichita, Kansas, on Thursday morning, killing at least four people, injuring five and setting off an explosion and fire, officials said. The twin-turbo airplane struck a building on the airport grounds that does pilot training and at least five people were reported missing, officials said. "I heard a big loud noise but it was muffled. I saw smoke and flames. I rushed over," said Lana Johnson, 65, who was in a post office near the airport when the plane crashed. The pilot of the airplane, which was identified as a twin-engine turbo-prop Beechcraft King Air 200, reported losing engine power just after taking off from the airport and crashed as it tried to return, the Federal Aviation Administration said. Fire Chief Ron Blackwell said the plane appeared to strike the top of the building, sparking an intense fire. "Firefighters engaged in a horrific firefight for several minutes and now we have the fire under control," Blackwell said. Television video showed heavy, dark smoke coming from the building after the crash. There were more than 100 people in the building at the time. The building sustained serious damage, including the collapse of walls and ceilings, the airport said. The airplane struck the FlightSafety International building, which is among other structures in between runways at the airport and includes a Citation Learning Center. At least four people are dead and five people injured, Wichita Fire Marshal Brad Crisp told a news conference. One of the injured was listed in serious condition, one in fair condition and three in good condition at Via Christi St. Francis Hospital, spokeswoman Maria Loving said. The pilot was believed to be the only person in the airplane, said Roger Xanders, chief of airport police and fire. Mid-Continent's commercial flights were largely on schedule with few reported delays, the airport said. The National Transportation Safety Board will lead the investigation, the FAA said. (Additional reporting by Kevin Murphy in Kansas City and Brendan O'Brien in Milwaukee; Writing by David Bailey; Editing by Bill Trott)
