Oklahoma State University women’s basketball coach Kurt CONT and assistant coach Miranda Serna were killed when their plane crashed on its way to a scouting trip in Arkansas, university officials said Friday.

Former Oklahoma State Senator Olin Branstetter and his wife, Paula, who also died in the crash Thursday, said spokesman Gary Schutt university.

“It ‘a terribly sad day,” he said.

The crash occurred in Perry County, Arkansas, leaving no survivors.

The plane, a Piper Cherokee PA-28, according to FAA records, crashed into the “unknown circumstances” in a wooded area about six miles south of Bolivar, Arkansas, about 16:30 on Thursday, CT, agency spokeswoman Lynn Lunsford on Friday.

No details of the accident were immediately available.

The National Transportation Safety Board sent investigators to the location of the accident, the agency said Friday.

Budker and Serna were on a reconnaissance trip to Little Rock, Arkansas, the university said.

“To lose any formation of bright stars such as Kurt and Miranda is tragic,” NCAA President Mark Emmert said in a statement. “This is a profound loss for the family of the Oklahoma State women’s basketball, the university and the entire future of women’s basketball players.”

University officials credited CONT turn the program of the school’s basketball women of the world, peaking at a top-10 national placement and an appearance in the second round of the NCAA tournament last season. He was in his seventh season with the school.

“Kurt was an exemplary leader and a man of character who has had a profound impact on his student-athletes,” said President Burns Hargis Oklahoma State. “It’s an outstanding coach and a wonderful person. We send our deepest condolences to his wife, Shelley, and their children, Sara, Alex and Brett.”

Serna also in his seventh season with the USO after arriving at school to work at Louisiana Tech Budka, where they both worked before. He served as recruiting coordinator of the program, according to the school.

Hargis called it “an excellent model and a promising coach our young ladies.”

“It’s our worst nightmare,” he added.

The school has suspended games planned for Saturday and Sunday, the pain and counselors were present to athletes and staff, the university said.

Jim Littell, the second head coach of the team, will take over as interim coach, according to Mike Holder, OSU vice president for athletics.

Crash is the second fatal plane crash strike OSU basketball program for nearly 11 years.

Ten people, eight of which are associated with the university’s men’s basketball program, died when their plane crashed in a snowstorm in Colorado January 28, 2001.

Source: http://edition.cnn.com/2011/11/18/sport/oklahoma-coaches-killed/index.html?hpt=us_c2