Plane bound for Kansas City area crashes near St. Louis; no survivors
Update: Police have identified the pilot as 65-year-old Edward Ruhbeck of St. Louis.
An airplane bound for the Kansas City area crashed early Tuesday, killing the pilot as the plane attempted to return to an airport near St. Louis, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
The Aero Commander 500-B twin-engine piston aircraft crashed short of the runway at Spirit of St. Louis Airport in Chesterfield, Missouri, the FAA said. The pilot, who has not been identified, was the only person on board.
The St. Louis County Police Department said on Facebook that its Spirit of St. Louis Airport Detail was notified shortly after 3 a.m. about a possible downed plane in the area.
Officers searched and located the downed aircraft at the east end of the south airport runway. A preliminary investigation found that the pilot had departed from the airport, and at some point, attempted to return, the St. Louis County Police Department said in the post.
The pilot was pronounced dead at the scene. Police said there was no indication of any passengers on board.
The FAA’s aircraft registration database shows the plane was owned by Central Airlines Inc.
The group’s website indicates the company does cargo transportation, including for organ transplants and “hazardous or sensitive materials.” The group has a headquarters at the Kansas City Downtown Airport-Wheeler Field and also flies out of Mosby and St. Louis in Missouri, as well as airports in Cushing, Oklahoma; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Jackson, Mississippi; and Bessemer, Alabama, the website said.
“Central Air Southwest currently operates 30 Twin Commander 500 B/Us and 1 Learjet 35A servicing 30 plus daily departures throughout the Central, Northern, and Southern United States,” the group’s website says.
In an email Wednesday morning, company president Andrew Towner told The Star he did not have any information about the cause of the crash.
“Our company is fully cooperating with the FAA and NTSB to help determine the accident’s cause,” he said. “Lastly, we are keeping our lost team member’s family in our thoughts and prayers, and we will continue to support them during this very difficult time for them and our small company.”
The National Transportation Safety Board said it is investigating the crash.
The plane, which was headed to New Century AirCenter in Olathe, turned back just moments after taking off around 12:30 a.m. from the Spirit of St. Louis Airport, according to FlightAware, a flight-tracking website. The airport’s tower is generally manned between 6 a.m. and 11 p.m., but landings and takeoffs are permitted overnight.
This story was originally published March 17, 2026 at 3:30 PM.
