OMAHA, Neb. — Bad weather was reported near two Nebraska farm fields where small planes crashed minutes apart in August, according to preliminary reports from the National Transportation Safety Board.
The two crashes happened on Aug. 26, about 45 miles (72 kilometers) apart, and within 50 minutes of each other, the Omaha World-Herald reported Thursday. While the NTSB reports don’t yet cite a probable cause in either crash, both reports include witness accounts of low clouds and bad weather.
Joseph Rudloff, 73, of Norfolk, Nebraska, died when his single-engine plane, a two-seat RANS S19, crashed at 8:41 a.m. near the town of Crofton. At 9:31 a.m., a single-engine Piper Cherokee piloted by 79-year-old Charles J. Finck of Elk River, Minnesota, crashed near Wayne, Nebraska.
No one else was aboard either plane beyond the pilots.
Rudloff’s obituary described him as “an avid flier” who died after his plane was engulfed in thick fog. The NTSB report said that 11 minutes before the crash, he called a pilot friend saying he was over Yankton, South Dakota, but unable to land there because of poor weather. Yankton was seeing fog and light rain at the time.
Rudloff’s friend suggested he fly to an airport in Nebraska. Rudloff’s plane hit the ground near Crofton in the far northeastern corner of Nebraska.
That same morning, a landowner near Wayne heard an engine revving on a plane that turned out to be Finck’s. The landowner then heard a pop sound and saw a black plume of smoke coming from his cornfield. He told investigators that clouds were near the ground when he heard the plane fly by. Rain also was falling.
Two fatal Nebraska plane crashes minutes apart attributed to bad weather
Two small planes crashed in Nebraska on Sunday, resulting in the tragic deaths of all four people on board. The crashes occurred just minutes apart and were both attributed to bad weather conditions in the area.
The first crash occurred near the town of Blair, when a single-engine Cessna 172 went down in a rural area. The pilot and one passenger were killed in the crash. Just minutes later, another small plane, a Piper PA-28, crashed near the town of Springfield, killing the two people on board.
Investigators believe that both crashes were caused by severe weather conditions in the area at the time. Heavy rain, strong winds, and low visibility likely played a role in the accidents. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has launched an investigation into the crashes to determine the exact cause.
These tragic incidents serve as a reminder of the dangers that pilots face when flying in adverse weather conditions. It is crucial for pilots to always be aware of weather forecasts and to make informed decisions about whether it is safe to fly. In this case, it appears that the weather conditions were simply too severe for the pilots to safely navigate.
The families and loved ones of the victims are undoubtedly devastated by this loss, and our thoughts are with them during this difficult time. It is important for the aviation community to come together to support each other and to learn from these tragedies in order to prevent similar accidents in the future.
As the investigation into these crashes continues, it is essential for all pilots to prioritize safety above all else when flying. Weather conditions can change rapidly and unexpectedly, and it is crucial for pilots to be prepared for any situation that may arise. By staying informed and making smart decisions, we can help prevent future tragedies like the ones that occurred in Nebraska on Sunday.
