SIOUX FALLS - The National Transportation Safety Board has determined that pilot error was the cause of a plane crash near the Sioux Falls airport that killed four people. The four were headed to a robot competition in Rapid City.

54-year-old charter pilot Brian Blake failed to follow emergency guidelines when one of the engines on the twin-engine Cessna 421C apparently caught fire just after takeoff from Joe Foss field.

In addition to Blake, also killed in the accident were Kevin Anderson and Daniel Swets of Sioux Falls, and Joshua Lambrecht of Brandon.

The Associated Press contrbuted to this report.

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