Girl, 12, first to notify police after small plane crashed into a Nebraska river, killing 3 on board
Share and Follow

A 12-year-old girl was the first to spring into action when a small plane crashed into a river in eastern Nebraska Friday night and killed all three people on board, according to a report.

Paisley Fenner, who had never dialed 911 before the fatal crash, made the initial alert to emergency services when the ill-fated Cessna 180 plunged into Platte River in Fremont around 8:15 p.m., KETV reported.

“It was like a boom and you could hear the impact when it landed,” Fenner told the local outlet.

“We stepped outside, and we were like, ‘That’s an airplane.’ And then my first instinct initially was just ‘Call 911.’ That’s just my first instinct. I’ve never had to do that before, but I knew that was what I needed to do.”

Fenner then described a harrowing scene with her neighbors loading their airboats and rounding up their dogs to assist rescue efforts as the wrecked aircraft floated in the water.

The youngster said she’s still processing the deadly crash — never thinking she would experience such a traumatic incident in her own backyard.

“Yesterday we were still all in shock and we were still trembling, crying, and shaking,” Fenner told the outlet on Saturday.

“And today, it’s still kinda the same way and we’re still trying to fathom what happened. I’ve seen it on the news and stuff, plane crashes, but I didn’t think it would happen in my backyard.”

The plane victims were identified as Fremont residents Jeff Bittinger, 50, and Randy Aemrein, 48, and Daniel Williams, 43, of Moundridge, Kansas, the Dodge County Sheriff’s Office announced Saturday.

The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate Friday’s incident, the latest in a series of deadly aircraft emergencies in the past few months.

The cause of the crash is unknown.

Share and Follow
You May Also Like
Sheriff: Man killed in St. Johns County deputy-involved shooting attempted to murder man just before death

Sheriff Reveals St. Johns County Shooting Victim Was Suspect in Attempted Murder

The recent deputy-involved shooting on U.S. 1 has taken a new turn…
DC National Guard shooting suspect formally charged: 'Nothing is off the table'

DC National Guard Shooting: Suspect Faces Formal Charges as Investigation Intensifies

The man accused of a shocking attack just steps from the White…
Palmdale Street shooting on Jacksonville's Northwest side leaves man dead

Northside Jacksonville Shooting: Man Injured in Violent Altercation at Girlfriend’s Residence

A late-night shooting on Jacksonville’s Northside has left a man hospitalized with…
FBI agents yanked off spy cases as Trump pumps brake on crackdown

Trump Administration Slows FBI Spy Investigations, Redirecting Agents to New Priorities

An FBI agent, deeply engrossed in probing the connections among a Chinese…
Trump administration says it will withhold SNAP food aid from Democrat-led states unless they provide recipient records

Trump Administration to Withhold SNAP Aid from Certain States Over Record Disclosure Dispute

In a recent development from Washington, President Donald Trump’s administration announced plans…
911 call captures alleged attack by suspect prior to St. Johns County deputy-involved shooting

Chilling 911 Audio Reveals Moments Leading to St. Johns County Deputy Shooting Incident

A suspect’s calculated 911 call set the stage for a deadly shooting…
Harvey, IL news: More city layoffs expected as Harvey Fire Department operates with less than half of its staff

Harvey, IL Faces Critical Challenges: Major Fire Department Layoffs Amid Citywide Workforce Cuts

HARVEY, Ill. — Just two months ago, Harvey boasted three fully operational…
Microplastics found in brains, bloodstreams: ABC7 I-Team investigates plastic contamination, efforts to measure risks in Chicago

ABC7 I-Team Investigates: Microplastics Detected in Brains and Bloodstreams, Examining Contamination and Risk Assessment Efforts in Chicago

CHICAGO (WLS) — A significant initiative has been launched to assess the…