Ex-Barboursville police chief IDs crash victims

July 6, 2009 - 2:00 PM

KENOVA, W.Va. (AP) - A former police chief of Barboursville says the two people killed in a plane crash near Tri-State Airport were his brother-in-law and nephew.

 

Ex-Chief Alan Meek identified the victims as Michael Land and his son Andrew and says they were from western Michigan.

 

The Lands died when their single-engine plane crashed shortly after taking off from Tri-State about 1 p.m. Sunday.

 

The National Transportation Safety Board says a Miami-based investigator is expected to reach the crash scene, a remote area about 4 miles south of Tri-State, on Monday night.

 

NTSB spokesman Peter Knudson says the pilot was in contact with air traffic controllers before the crash.

 

The NTSB plans a press conference at 4 p.m. Monday at Tri-State.