Two victims in plane crash near North Platte were Lincoln residents

Maxwell, Neb. (KNOP) - The two people killed in a plane crash just East of North Platte were preliminarily identified as 41-year-old Adam Helmerichs and 22-year-old Zachary Clausen, both from Lincoln. The Nebraska State Patrol said their next of kin had been notified, and their families confirmed the two were traveling together. Helmerichs was the pilot.

The small plane crashed near Maxwell, Neb., about six miles east of North Platte, along Novacek Road and I-80 around 9:30 a.m. Wednesday.

The NTSB said the plane was a Piper PA56-500TP, which is a single-engine plane that can carry one pilot and up to five passengers. The FAA said Wednesday evening that their preliminary information shows the plane crashed on approach and started on fire, killing the pilot and one passenger. Flight data showed a plane matching the description had taken off from the Lincoln airport with North Platte as its destination Wednesday morning.

The Nebraska State Patrol, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office and Maxwell Fire and Rescue responded to the scene. The NTSB says their investigation into the cause continues.

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