Two separate small plane crashes in northeast Nebraska claim lives

Norfolk, Nebraska – The Nebraska State Patrol has released the identity of the pilot who died in Monday’s plane crash in Knox County.

The pilot was identified as Joseph Rudloff, 73, of Norfolk, Nebraska. The crash was reported around 9:30 a.m. Monday. The accident scene was about 4 miles southwest of Crofton, Nebraska.

A second plane crash occurred a short time later near Wayne, Nebraska. The Wayne County Sheriff’s Office and the Nebraska State Patrol responded to the crash, which occurred approximately 7 miles north and 3 miles west of Wayne. The pilot died on impact. His identity is being withheld pending notification of his family.

The Wayne County Sheriff’s Office and Nebraska State Patrol were assisted by the Wayne Fire Department, Providence Medical Center, emergency management agencies for Wayne, Cedar, Dixon and Stanton counties, and Nebraska Game and Parks.

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating both crashes and the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) is conducting an investigation into the cause of the Wayne plane crash.