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Pilot killed in Billings plane crash

Posted at 10:15 AM, Apr 20, 2020
and last updated 2020-04-21 08:13:27-04

UPDATE 11:50 a.m.

Shane Ketterling, assistant director of aviation and transit, said they have identified the aircraft as a PA-31 Piper twin-engine.

Ketterling also said airport officials have identified the owner of the aircraft and believe that person was the pilot at the time of the crash. He did not release a name.

The pilot appears to have been performing pattern work and touch-and-goes at the time of the crash, Ketterling said.

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UPDATE: 11:40 a.m.

Yellowstone County Sheriff Mike Linder said it appears that the pilot was the only occupant of the plane.

He said the NTSB and FAA have been notified and federal teams are expected to arrive and begin their investigation this afternoon.

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UPDATE: 11 a.m.

Shane Ketterling, assistant director of aviation and transit, said the type of aircraft has been identified as a twin-engine aircraft with a capacity of seven people.

Ketterling said officials have yet to confirm how many people were on the plane, but there were no survivors.

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UPDATE 10:40 a.m.

A Billings airport official has confirmed a plane crashed Monday morning.

The crash was reported at about 10 a.m.

Fire crews were staging at Billings Rod and Gun Club Road.

Bob Gibson, president of the Billings Rod and Gun Club, said the plane crashed on club property in the archery area. Several members were in the area at the time but were not injured, he said.

Q2 will be live at the scene during the MTN Noon News.

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A plane crashed near the Billings airport Monday morning. (Photo courtesy of Steele Stephens)

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Emergency crews are responding to an area near the Billings airport in response to an incident.

The type of emergency was not immediately clear, but a large plume of smoke could be seen coming from the area shortly before 10 a.m.

Q2 has a news team at the scene and will provide an update as soon as possible.