Did weather play a role in Arkansas plane crash that killed 5? NTSB investigating

Natalie Neysa Alund, USA TODAY
·2 min read
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Federal aviation officials on Friday began investigating an Arkansas plane crash that killed five people en route to a metal factory explosion site in Ohio this week.

The victims, employees of an environmental consulting firm, died in the Wednesday crash after the twin-engine Beech B2000 airplane they were on board went down shortly after taking off from the Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport.

The crash took place about noon near an industrial site, the National Transportation Safety Board confirmed. The agency said inspectors are documenting the crash site and examining the plane's wreckage.

A preliminary report on their findings should be released in about two weeks, agency spokesperson Jennifer Gabris said in an email.

The Pulaski County Sheriff's Office confirmed all five people on board the plane including the pilot died. The plane was heading to Columbus, Ohio.

Environmental consulting firm CTEH, based in Little Rock, said the victims were responding to the scene of fatal explosion at a metal factory that killed one worker and sent more than a dozen people to hospitals.

Emergency personnel respond to the scene after a small aircraft crashed while taking off from the Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport in Little Rock, Ark., Wednesday Feb. 22, 2023.
Emergency personnel respond to the scene after a small aircraft crashed while taking off from the Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport in Little Rock, Ark., Wednesday Feb. 22, 2023.

5 victims in Arkansas plane crash

CTEH identified the dead employees as:

  • Sean Sweeney, 64, a pilot;

  • Gunter Beaty, 23, a production safety data manager;

  • Kyle Bennett, 36, a staffing manager, logistics;

  • Micah Kendrick, 41, a safety supervisor;

  • Glenmarkus Walker, 32, a rapid responder.

The NTSB said investigators are investigating whether weather or other factors played a role in the crash.

The wreck occurred Wednesday as a line of thunderstorms that the National Weather Service said included wind gusts of 40 mph moved through the Little Rock area.

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Contributing: Associated Press.

Natalie Neysa Alund covers trending news for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on Twitter @nataliealund.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Little Rock, Arkansas plane crash killed 5, under NTSB investigation