5 identified in fatal plane crash

The Associated Press and News9.com

Five people killed after a small plane crashed in northwest Oklahoma City have been identified as a former missionary, a church deacon and three business executives, police said.

A friend identified the pilot and co-pilot as Tim Hartman of Yukon and Rick Sandoval of Weatherford. Hartman was a Church of Christ deacon while Sandoval spent 10 years as a Church of Christ missionary in Brazil.

The wife of an Oklahoma City business executive said her husband and two of his associates were aboard the twin-engine jet bound for Minnesota that crashed near Wiley Post Airport on Tuesday. 

Valrie Pool said her husband, 60-year-old Frank M. Pool Jr., was executive vice president of United Engines of Oklahoma City. She said he, along with company president Garth Bates and Lloyd Austin were killed when the Cessna 500 went down in a wooded area shortly after takeoff about 3:15 p.m. Tuesday afternoon.

Mrs. Pool said the executives were headed to Mankato, Minnesota on a business trip.

Kevin Rowland of the Oklahoma state medical examiner's office said his office had been told five people may have been on board, but he couldn't confirm if that was the case. 

The National Transportation Safety Board is headed to the site and plans to have a press conference Wednesday afternoon at 3:00 p.m. to offer an update on the crash investigation. 

The aircraft was registered to Southwest Orthopedic Sports Medicine Clinic in Oklahoma City, and can hold two pilots and at least five passengers.