LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Officials said five people were on board an airplane that crashed near the Clinton National Airport just after noon Wednesday, with deputies at the scene saying there were no survivors found.
Officials with the Little Rock Police Department confirmed around 12:20 p.m. that they were responding to reports of a twin-engine plane down in an area between the airport and the 3M Little Rock plant.
Multiple agencies responded to the incident, including LRPD, Little Rock Fire Department and the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office. Officials with the Federal Aviation Administration and other federal and state agencies then joined in on the response and investigation.
Just after 2 p.m., FAA officials reported that there were five people aboard the twin-engine Beech BE20, which had just departed from the airport on its way to the John Glenn Columbus International Airport in Ohio.
During a news conference near the scene, Lt. Cody Burk with the PCSO noted that the crash happened within a mile of the airport. He said no survivors had been found at the scene and that the search was in a recovery phase.
Shortly after 4 p.m. Wednesday, Little Rock-based CTEH, a science consulting firm, confirmed to KARK 4 News that the people on board the plane, including the pilot, were all employees of the company.
“We are incredibly saddened to report the loss of our Little Rock colleagues,” CTEH senior vice president Dr. Paul Nony said in a statement. “We ask everyone to keep the families of those lost and the entire CTEH team in their thoughts and prayers.”
A company spokesperson confirmed that the team was responding to an incident at the Schumann and Company Metals Plant in Bedford, Ohio.
Search teams are still investigating the scene but noted the weather was hampering the investigation.
According to Arkansas Storm Team meteorologist Pat Walker, there were significant wind gusts near the airport around the time the crash was reported.
The National Transportation Safety Board has crews on the way to the scene to begin its investigation.
A neighbor near the scene of the crash told reporter Jessica Ranck that he heard a loud boom and saw smoke from the crash.
Shortly after 5:30 p.m., the Clinton National Airport sent out a statement about the crash, giving their condolences to the families of those that died in the crash and saying that the PCSO is coordinating with the NTSB to provide updates.
Clinton National Airport expresses our condolences to the families of those who died in today’s plane crash south of the airport. The Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office is the lead agency coordinating with the National Transportation Safety Board and will be providing updates.
Clinton National Airport
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.