Small plane crash kills 2 adults, 3 kids

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WILLARD, Mo., Sept. 16 (UPI) -- Two adults and three children died when the small aircraft they were traveling in crashed into a field near Willard, Mo., officials said.

John Lambert, 44, of Springfield, and Robin Melton, 46, of Ozark, along with Lambert's children, Grayson, 16, McKinley, 15, and Joshua, 10, died with the 2002 Cirrus SR22 crashed just after midnight Saturday, Highway Patrol spokesman Jason Pace told The (Springfield, Mo.) News-Leader.

Police believe the plane was heading to Springfield-Branson National Airport and originated in Kansas City. Pace said Grayson posted a photo on Twitter Friday night showing the family at a Royals baseball game in Kansas City.

Cindy Farmer, who owns the land where the crash occurred, said she heard the plane getting closer and closer.

"I thought, it's going to crash. Then I heard this sonic boom and saw this ball of fire. It was huge," she said.

She said she and her husband went to the crash site where they saw remnants of the plane burning.

"I saw wings still. We went around trying to see if anyone was still alive. It was burning so fast," Farmer said.

The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the cause of the accident, the News-Leader reported.