CHAMBERLAIN, SOUTH DAKOTA (NYTIMES) – A small plane flying in blizzard-like conditions crashed shortly after takeoff on Saturday (Nov 30) in South Dakota, killing nine people, including two children, the authorities said.

Three people survived the crash, which happened just before noon local time outside Chamberlain, South Dakota, according to information from local officials and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

The condition of the survivors, whom officials said were transported to hospitals in Sioux Falls, about two hours east, was not immediately available.

The Pilatus PC-12, a single-engine turboprop, had been travelling from Chamberlain to Idaho Falls Regional Airport when the crash occurred, an FAA spokesman said.

The National Weather Service in Rapid City, South Dakota, had warned of white-out conditions for a significant swath of the state on Saturday.

“The men and women of law enforcement, first responder and medical professionals should be commended in their heroic actions to rescue the victims in extreme weather conditions,” Ms Theresa Maule Rossow, the Brule County state’s attorney, said in a statement.

Investigators will be looking at the weather conditions, the pilot and the aircraft as they seek to learn what caused the crash, said Mr Peter Knudson, a spokesman for the National Transportation Safety Board. He could not immediately say if there were any restrictions on flights at the airport because of the storm.

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