Aircraft in fatal Mississippi plane crash originated in Kerrville

Plane flew from Kerrville to MS Sunday, crashed after takeoff Monday

TUPELO, Miss. (AP) – A small plane that crashed Monday morning in Mississippi, killing four people, took off from Kerrville Sunday, The Associated Press reports.

The pilot and three passengers in the single-engine Beechcraft Bonanza died after the plane crashed in a field about a half-mile north of Tupelo Regional Airport.

Deputy Fire Chief Jimmy Avery said the plane took off at 8:32 a.m. Monday headed to Charlottesville, Virginia.

FlightAware.com shows the plane flew from Kerrville to Tupelo on Sunday. It was scheduled to continue Monday to Charlottesville.

Tupelo Police Chief Bart Aguirre said the plane "was broken up."

A Federal Aviation Administration official said a pilot reported smoke in the cockpit after taking off.

FAA spokeswoman Arlene Salac said the FAA will investigate, and the National Transportation Safety Board will determine the crash's cause.

A Mississippi coroner said she will use DNA to identify the people killed in the crash of a small plane Monday near Tupelo Regional Airport.

Lee County Coroner Carolyn Green told multiple media outlets that DNA will be used because there was a fire. She said each of the bodies will be sent to Jackson for an autopsy.