Small plane crashes just after takeoff, killing 4 sky divers, pilot

A plane crash killed four sky divers and the pilot Saturday in northwestern Montana, the Flathead County sheriff said.

The crash occurred about 30 miles southwest of Kalispell, in an area known as Lost Prairie, Sheriff Mike Meehan said. The Federal Aviation Administration in Seattle said the plane went down shortly after takeoff, then burned.

The Cessna 182 operated by Skydive Lost Prairie was carrying two sky-diving instructors and two trainees to jumps, said Michael Morrill, a manager of the company. He said the plane took off in good weather.

Names of those killed were not released immediately. All were from Montana, Morrill said.

Items compiled from Tribune news services.

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