Sheriff’s officials in Guthrie County this (Saturday) afternoon, released the names of four people, including three adults and one teenager, who died in a single engine airplane crash Friday evening while en-route from LeMars to Osceola. The victims were identified as the pilot, 49-year old  Edward Ralph Anderson, and his passengers 36-year old Patrick Kellen, and 15-year old Samantha Clark, all of LeMars, along with 28-year old Tyler Douvia, of Merrill, Iowa. The deceased occupants of the plane have been transported to the Iowa Medical Examiner’s Office. The crash site is being secured pending an investigation by the FAA.

Authorities say a little after 5-p.m. Friday,  the Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office received a phone call from Des Moines Air Traffic Control requesting an emergency landing for a single engine aircraft tail# 91770 at the Guthrie Center Airport. Des Moines Traffic Control advised the pilot had suffered a heart attack and a student pilot would be attempting an emergency landing.

Guthrie Center Fire and Rescue along with Panora Rescue were dispatched to the Guthrie Center Airport for the emergency landing. The aircraft never arrived at the airport. Des Moines Traffic Control reported the aircraft dropped off radar approximately 4 miles southwest of the Guthrie Center Airport. The aircraft had left Le Mars, Iowa at around 4:15-p.m..

The Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office launched an extensive search and rescue mission to locate the aircraft. The Sheriff’s office utilized the assistance of the Iowa State Patrol, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Adair County Sheriff’s Office, Dallas County Sheriff’s Office, Carroll County Sheriff’s Office, Panora police Department, Stuart Police Department, Guthrie County Emergency Management, Guthrie Center Fire and Rescue, Panora Fire and Rescue, and numerous other law enforcement, fire, and rescue agencies.

At around 6:30-a.m. Saturday (Today), a Guthrie County Citizen reported a small plane crash in a cow pasture southwest of the intersection of 265^th and Maple Avenue. The plane was identified as the missing aircraft. It had impacted the terrain very hard before skidding to a stop. (All photo’s below supplied by the Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office)

GUTHRIE CENTER, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say a small plane crashed in central Iowa, killing all four people on board, including a teenage girl. Guthrie County Sheriff’s Deputy Jesse Swensen says the plane was reported missing shortly after it took off Friday evening from the Le Mars Municipal Airport in northwestern Iowa. He says the wreckage was found at around 6:30 a.m. Saturday in a cattle pasture southwest of Guthrie Center, which is about 115 miles southwest of Le Mars.

Airport manager Tom Mullally confirmed Saturday that there were three men and a 16-year-old girl on the plane. He declined to release their names or discuss what may have caused the crash. Earlier reports indicated the pilot may have suffered a heart attack and a student pilot was taking over the controls.

Mullally says he expects federal safety officials to arrive at the scene some time today (Saturday).

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The city of Omaha and its fire and police departments are teaming up with the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots program to help make the holiday season memorable for less-fortunate children. The program gives to children in Omaha and neighboring Council Bluffs, Iowa, Lincoln and the Hastings and Grand Island areas.

Most Omaha fire stations and police precincts will be accepting public donations of new, unwrapped toys through Dec. 1. Two Men and a Truck will be picking up the donations from all locations beginning Dec. 3.

A map of all toy drop-off locations can be found online . Donated toys should be for children between birth and mid-teens. The charity cannot to accept realistic looking weapons or gifts with food.