Plane crash kills 2, injures 2

MOUNT VERNON, Mo. -- Federal investigators were on the scene Sunday after a small plane crashed in southwest Missouri, killing two skydivers and seriously injuring two other people, authorities said.

Marnie Fuller, 36, and Jennifer Collins, 32, were killed in the crash, which occurred about 4 p.m. Saturday west of Mount Vernon. Lawrence County coroner Don Lakin confirmed the deaths Saturday night.

Tony Molinaro, spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration, said the aircraft, a Cessna, was destroyed.

Fuller and Collins were staff members at Freefall Express Skydiving, a skydiving business based at the Mount Vernon Airport. The names of the injured were not released.

Molinaro said FAA investigators were on the scene Sunday, and the National Transportation Safety Board would be coordinating the investigation.

"Our investigators are on sight by now," Molinaro said. "But because there are fatalities, they would be collecting information and handing it over to the NTSB."

The NTSB did not immediately return calls Sunday seeking comment.

Lyn Wolford of Nixa, co-owner of Freefall Express Skydiving, said she also could not comment on the crash.

"They'll being looking to see what happened," Wolford told the Springfield News-Leader late Saturday. "We cannot make any type of comments. We're waiting to see what happened."

Freefall Express Skydiving has been in business since 1995, according to the company's Web site, www.freefallexpress.com.

The company lists 21 employees on its site. Lyn Wolford is listed as the business manager. The company was a recipient of the "Prestigious Chelsey H. Judy National Safety Award two years in a row 2006-2007," according to its Web site.

Freefall Express Skydiving offers courses in tandem and solo skydiving from 12,000 feet.