3 killed as small plane crashes into Nebraska river

Cessna 180 crashed into the Platte River in Fremont, Nebraska

Emergency crews respond after a plane crashed into the Platte River killing several people Friday, April 18, 2025, in Fremont, Nebraska (AP)

Three people are dead following a small plane crash in Nebraska on Friday.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration, a Cessna 180 crashed into the Platte River in Fremont, Nebraska, at around 8.45 p.m. local time.

Three people were on board the aircraft. The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the incident.

The victims have been identified by the Dodge County Sheriff's Office as 43-year-old Daniel Williams of Moundridge, Kansas, 50-year-old Jeff Bittinger, and 48-year-old Randy Amrein, both of Fremont, Nebraska.

It’s not clear what caused the crash.

The Independent has contacted the Dodge County Sheriff’s Office and the National Transportation Safety Board for comment.

Small plane crashes are not common but the development is the latest in a series of crashes involving Cessna planes on the back of multiple high-profile aviation disasters this year.

Earlier this month, a Cessna 210 crashed shortly after takeoff from Boca Raton Airport. In February, a Cessna 172S and a Lancair 360 MK II collided at Marana Regional Airport just northwest of Tucson.

Two people were on board each of the aircraft.

Data from the National Transportation Safety Board does not show an uptick in aviation accidents overall. So far, the data this year does not indicate a potential increase from the two prior years. The majority of documented plane crashes in 2025 have involved small private planes.