Authorities have identified the two people killed Tuesday when the small aircraft they were in crashed into the Rock River near the Fort Atkinson airport.
David Plambeck, 51, of Edgerton and Max Burlingame, 16 of Fort Atkinson died in the crash, according the the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office.
Officials say that Plambeck was piloting the aircraft and that Burlingame was a friend of the family.
The aircraft crashed into the river near Ft. Atkinson's municipal airport around 8 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2017.
Upon arrival, rescue crews found the aircraft almost completely submerged and discovered the passengers were unconscious. Recreational boaters in the area assisted in getting to the pilot and passenger, according the sheriff's office.
Dive team members removed the ultralight from the river this morning.
Video sent to 27 News by viewer Billy Pitzner shows the rescue. Pitzner tells us his stepfather saw the plane circle the airport and heard the crash. He says they went in their boat and gave firefighters a ride to the crash scene.
Fire officials say Med Flight was on the scene as well as several ambulances. The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office, Jefferson Fire Department, Ft. Atkinson Police, Ft. Atkinson Fire and EMS along with others all helped.
For more information go to WKOW: http://www.wkow.com/story/36100863/2017/08/09/latest-officials-identify-victims-in-small-aircraft-crash
Photo courtesy: WKOW
JEFFERSON, Wis. (AP) _ Sheriff's officials say two people have died in the crash of an ultralight plane into a river in southern Wisconsin.
Jefferson County Sheriff Paul Milbrath said in a statement Wednesday a 51-year-old Edgerton area man and a 16-year-old boy from the Fort Atkinson area died when the aircraft went down in the Rock River near Jefferson Tuesday night.
The ultralight had taken off from Fort Atkinson Airport just before it crashed about 8 p.m. The sheriff says the plane was nearly submerged when first responders arrived. Recreational boaters on the river helped emergency responders pull the two from the plane. They were pronounced dead by the Jefferson County medical examiner.
Federal aviation officials will investigate.