Goldsby, United States: Two people were killed after a small aircraft crashed into a field and caught fire shortly after taking off from a private airfield in McClain County, Oklahoma, prompting an investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
The accident occurred on the afternoon of June 29 near East Cottonwood Road in Goldsby, approximately 30 miles south of Oklahoma City. Emergency responders from the Oklahoma Highway Patrol (OHP), local fire departments and other agencies rushed to the scene after receiving reports of a plane crash.
According to the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, the aircraft had departed from Paradise Air Haven Airport, a privately owned airfield near Goldsby, when it encountered difficulties shortly after takeoff.
OHP Lt. Mark Southall said preliminary information gathered from witnesses indicated the aircraft failed to climb as expected. “Witnesses reported the aircraft did not gain enough altitude after takeoff before descending into a nearby field,” Southall said.
The aircraft crashed into a pasture near East Cottonwood Road before erupting into flames. First responders found the wreckage engulfed in fire.
Authorities confirmed that both occupants died at the scene. No injuries were reported on the ground. Officials have not yet publicly released the identities of the two victims, pending notification of their families. The FAA and the NTSB have launched separate investigations into the accident. The FAA is assisting with the initial investigation, while the NTSB will lead the inquiry and determine the probable cause of the crash.
Investigators are expected to examine the aircraft wreckage, pilot qualifications, maintenance records, weather conditions, operational history and witness statements as part of the investigation.
