Pilatus PC-12 Went Down In Inclement Weather

Nine people, including two prominent Idaho businessmen, were fatally injured Saturday when the Pilatus PC-12 they were aboard went down shortly after takeoff from Chamberlain Municipal Airport (9V9) in South Dakota. Three others were seriously injured.

NBC news reports that brothers Jim and Kirk Hansen, the founders of Kyäni, which sells nutritional supplements and other health products, were among those fatally injured. They were also executives of petroleum products distributor Conrad & Bischoff as well as KJ's Super Stores.

Also fatally injured were their father James, Kirk's sons Stockton and Logan, his sons-in-law Tyson Dennert and Kyle Naylor. Jim's son, Jake, and his grandson, Houston.

The party had been on a hunting trip in South Dakota, and were returning home to Idaho Falls when the accident occurred. The NTSB indicated that the weather was extremely poor at the time the flight departed from 9V9, and it was not able to immediately dispatch a "Go" team to the accident scene due to the weather.

The area was reportedly under a winter storm warning at the time of the accident. Aircraft were unable to land at 9V9 during the storm. Visibility was reported to be only one-half mile.

The Sioux Falls Argus Leader reports that the three who survived the accident were all expected to fully recover.

(Image from file. Not accident airplane)

FMI: Source report
Source report