Law enforcement members on scene near the intersection of 145 Road and Sweetwater Road near the crash site, (Brian Neben, Central Nebraska Today)
KEARNEY — A report by the National Transportation Safety Board revealed additional details about a fatal plan crash that killed two Kearney men on Aug. 27.
The two occupants of the plane were identified as Dr. Mark H Meyer, 77, and Kent O. Magnuson, 72, both of rural Kearney.
According to the NTSB report, the aircraft departed from Glenwood, Minn., airport at 6:45 p.m. and its was scheduled to land at the Onion Crest Airpark, south of Riverdale.
The aircraft was diverted to the Kearney Regional Airport due to low ceilings caused by fog and a lack of instrument approach equipment at Onion Crest. Shortly after the diversion, Minneapolis air traffic controllers lost contact with the aircraft.
The aircraft crashed on the upslope of a cornfield north of Kearney near the intersection of 145th and Imperial Road. The debris field was 154 feet long.
At approximately 9:30 p.m. on August 27, 2025, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reported an overdue aircraft that was routed to the Kearney Regional Airport and had lost contact with the plane. The aircraft’s last known location was reported in an area several miles north of the Kearney Regional Airport.
A joint search effort took place and included the Buffalo County Sheriff’s Office, Kearney Police Department, Kearney Volunteer Fire Department, Nebraska State Patrol, CHI Health Good Samaritan Emergency Medical Services Hospital, and surrounding law enforcement agencies.
Ground searches were conducted into the night on Aug. 27 and resumed the morning of Aug. 28, through use of drones, patrol vehicles, UTV’s, and on foot.
