Pilot 64-year-old Vlado Lenoch of Buff Ridge, IL and 34-year-old Bethany Root, 34, of Atchison, Kansas killed after a North American P-51D Mustang plane crashed into smithereens near Cummings, Kansas.

34-year-old Bethany Root, 34, of Atchison, Kansas

ATCHISON COUNTY, Kan. —
 
Two people have been killed in a plane crash in Atchison County, Kansas.
The crash reportedly happened around 10:30 a.m. Sunday near Cummings, Kan. Two people were inside that small plane when the crash happened.

The victims have been identified as 64-year-old Vlado Lenoch of Buff Ridge, IL and 34-year-old Bethany Root, 34, of Atchison, Kansas.

Here is the info provided at Lenoch's Facebook page:

Intro

• Former Laborer at Schiffer Mason Contractors, Inc.
• Studied School-based Physical Education Program at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
• Studied Civil engineering at Purdue University
• Went to Lyons Township High School
• Lives in Burr Ridge, Illinois
• From Chicago, Illinois

The plane that crashed is believed to be the P-51 Mustang "Baby-Duck" that Lenoch flew at the Amelia Earhart Festival Saturday night.

No word yet on what caused this crash.

No additional details are available at this time. 

Here is the release from the police:

At 10:18 AM the Atchison County Sheriffs Office was notified of a plane crash that occurred near 234th and Ness road in Atchison County. Sheriff's Deputies, KHP, and EMS & Rescue responded to the scene. 

The pilot and passenger were killed in the crash. The pilot was identified as 64 year old Vlado Lenoch of Burr Ridge, IL. The passenger was identified as Bethany Root, 34 of Atchison, KS. 

The plane that crashed was believed to be a P-51 Mustang that flew along the Missouri River in the air show at the Amelia Earhart Festival last evening named the "Baby-Duck".

There is not a known cause to the crash at this time. The plane left the Amelia Earhart Airport in Atchison around 10:00 AM this morning and believed to have crashed shortly after. No residents in the area were injured .

The FAA is in route to the crash site to conduct an investigation. KHP will be at the scene to answer any questions further until 4:30 PM.

====================================


KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Two people have died after a plane crash near Cummings, Kansas in Atchison County.

Emergency crews responded to the crash at 10:18 a.m. Sunday, according to a release from the Atchison County Sheriff's Office.

Only two people were on board the plane when it crashed. The pilot, 64-year-old Vlado Lenoch of Buff Ridge, Illinois, and the only passenger, 34-year-old Bethany Root of Atchison, Kansas, were both killed in the crash. Root is the general manager of the Amelia Earhart Airport.

An Atchison County Sheriff's Department official said it appears the crash happened at a high rate of speed. The impact left a large debris field in its wake.

The official said he thought it was intended to be a short, local flight and the plane crashed with 10 to 15 minutes of take off.

Officials believe the plane is a P-51 Mustang. It flew in the air show for the Amelia Earhart Festival Saturday evening.

An official cause of the crash has not been determined. FAA officials continue their investigation.



============================

Date:	16-JUL-2017
Time:	ca 10:30
Type:	North American P-51D Mustang
Owner/operator:	Mustang Historic Military Aircraft
Registration:	N251PW
C/n / msn:	122-31945
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2
Other fatalities:	0
Airplane damage:	Written off (damaged beyond repair)
Location:	Atchison County, 238th Road and Ness Road, NE of Cummings, KS -   United States of America
Phase:	Unknown
Nature:	Unknown
Departure airport:	Amelia Earhart (K59)
Destination airport:

Narrative:
A North American P-51D Mustang was destroyed when it impacted terrain near Cummings, Kansas. Both occupants were killed, pilot (64), and passenger, a woman (34).

Authorities confirmed to local media that the aircraft flew in the air show at the Amelia Earhart festival the night before the accident.
It was reported that P-51 "Baby Duck" performed at that event.

 

Sources:

http://www.kmbc.com/article/two-killed-in-plane-crash-in-atchison-kan/10313990
https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=1478814835490499&id=114501771921819
Warbirds Directory - Geoff Goodall -http://www.goodall.com.au/warbirds-directory-v6/north-american.pdf
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Ness+Rd,+Cummings,+KS+66016/@39.4776528,-95.2030176,18z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x87bf8dbc4b7c8237:0x2795ae119465e9e8?hl=en-us
http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=251pw
http://www.mustangsmustangs.net/p-51/survivors/serial/44-72086
http://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/photo/001312330.html