A Beechcraft-owned King Air 200 crashed onto the roof of FlightSafety International’s Cessna Citation Training Center on the north side at Wichita Mid-Continent Airport (KICT) this morning just before 10 a.m. CDT. Authorities reported that the sole-occupant pilot–Mark Goldstein, a contract pilot–reported an engine failure on takeoff and was trying to return to the airport. Goldstein was attempting to ferry the twin turboprop to Mena, Ark., Ryan Aviation president Ron Ryan told Wichita NBC affiliate KSNW.
So far, Goldstein and three occupants of the building are confirmed dead. Five other victims from inside the building were transported to a local hospital, one in serious condition (downgraded from an initial assessment of “critical”) and one in fair condition; the other three have been released. As many as 100 employees and visitors could have been in the building at the time, according to authorities, and five remained unaccounted for at press time.
The King Air, N52SZ, was registered to Raytheon Aircraft on October 2. FlightAware.com shows the most recent flight as September 16, from Altoona, Pa., to Wichita. The previous registered owner was Sheetz Aviation, a Delaware-registered corporation.
Wichita Fire Chief Ron Blackwell described the fire as “horrific.” News video showed flames and smoke billowing from the building. Airport firefighters were the first to arrive on the scene, and up to 60 firefighters ultimately responded, bringing the fire under control within an hour of the crash. After 30 minutes, firefighters were withdrawn from the building, which was determined to be unstable. Air traffic resumed after the fire was brought under control.
The NTSB is expected to be on site later today.