Posted on 03/22/2009 7:02:42 PM PDT by Steelfish
'Children die' in US plane crash
A plane has crashed in the northern US state of Montana, killing 17 people on board, aviation officials say.
A witness said the light aircraft crashed in a cemetery as it approached the airport in the town of Butte.
A spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration said several children were among the victims.
The pilot was flying from Oroville, California, when he diverted to Butte, the FAA said. He tried to land but crashed 500ft (150m) from the airport.
The plane crashed in a cemetery close to the airport in cloudy weather conditions, Nick Dipasquale, who works at a nearby convenience store, told the BBC.
He said he had been told that the children aboard the plane were returning from a ski trip.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.bbc.co.uk ...
Poor kids — “crashed in a cemetery.” The devil has a dark sense of humor.
A cursory search says that type of plane had recent version with “12 seats”, expanded from the earliest versions which appear to have been certified first in 1991. I’m not enough of an aviation aficionado know if “12 seats” refers typically to 12 “passenger” seats (with crew and jump seats additional) or total seats. Anyone know if there was a legitimate way to seat 17 on this type of aircraft?
This is so horrible.
May Our Lord give the families peace.
heard on fox news that the plane was originally designed to carry 6 to 8 passengers. may have been out of balance.
Yes. May the families have peace. If this plane wasn’t coming from California to Montana tonight and instead the reverse, I would be bracing myself as I have so much family in Montana it would be odd if we didn’t know someone who knew someone . . . you know the drill. Instead I am bracing and praying for those who are grieving or about to grieve the loss of a vibrant life gone so tragically.
Oh my goodness! I would have been frantic too.
I can’t even imagine what these families are going through.
I can’t imagine ever having kids or any sort of close relationships. The thought of them being incinerated in some totally random disaster is a major turnoff. It’s bad enough just to see it in the news.
I dug intot his a bit more
THe A/C was a Pilatus PC-12/45 and rated by the FAA as ‘12 passenger’. So 17 pax and luggage - not good.
The mag admits that ‘P factor’ is pornounced on the airframe and some later modle have strakes added to the tial section to help smooth out the airflow.
Prayers for the families.
If there were a number of children perhaps even babies might that just have made the weight for this flight ok?
I like Butte having spent the summer there many years ago, but high speed low drag news reporting isn't something the area is noted for. Pretty scenery, good fishing (up the road at Flathead Lake) and the like, but local news... not so much.
Once the local TeeVee folks get some video up to the networks, we may see more about this.
The A/C is as solid as they come - the USAF and Army use it (U-28 IIRC) and it predecessor (Porter) was a biggie in the RVN hauling ammo and such. Still a very good Bush plane for AK>
I was just referring to weight. Yes it would still be unsafe like you said regarding seat belts. Just trying to figure out why such an obvious safety violation occurred (17 into a 12 seater).
It is true, having children makes you very vulnerable.
That said, it is a sacred commission.
14 people on board...7 adults, 7 children. They were not returning from a ski vacation but instead traveling to a ski destination. The Napa Valley Register has released names of 5 of the victims, 2 adults and their three children (all under the age of 5), all from the St. Helena area. So sad. My thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of these victims. It sounds like a bunch of families were on board.
oh. so sad.
Tragic, almost beyond belief.
Prayers for the children, and the extended families.
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