Fort Scott man dies in crop duster plane crash

LAMAR, Mo. -- Authorities are investigating a Sunday morning plane crash that resulted in the death of a Fort Scott man.

The crash reportedly took place shortly after 9 a.m. when the pilot took off from the Lamar Municipal Airport for what other pilots said was a training flight, according to media reports of the crash.

The Barton County Coroner has identified the pilot as 41-year-old Duane Davis.

Sgt. Mike Watson, public information and education officer for Troop D of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, which covers Barton County, said Monday any information related to the investigation would be released by the Federal Aviation Administration, which is probing the crash.

"We were the initial responders," he said. "I know the FAA came down this morning to start the investigation and the next of kin has been notified."

One report states that the National Transportation Safety Board is also investigating the crash.

Watson did say Davis had recently moved from Texas to live in Fort Scott.

Shortly into the flight, the plane crashed in a field just north of the airport near the intersection of NW 10th Lane and U.S. Highway 160. Emergency responders were able to remove Davis from the plane, but he was pronounced dead about 10 a.m. at Barton County Memorial Hospital, KODE/KSN in Joplin, Mo., reported.

Davis was flying a single-engine Piper Pawnee crop dusting plane. After making several "touch and go" landings at the airport, he began practicing crop dusting, the news outlet reported.

Pilots who spoke with KODE and helped prepare the plane for takeoff said no chemicals were loaded in the plane at the time of the crash.

Witnesses said after making one simulated dusting run at a field just west of the airport, Davis began to circle back for another pass when the plane crashed. Others who helped Davis prepare for the flight said the plane appeared to be in good condition and Davis was observing proper safety practices before the crash, KODE/KSN reported.