AUBURN -  The Nemaha County Sheriff’s Office reports two fatalities from a plane crash Wednesday.

A sheriff’s office press release says Nemaha County 9-1-1 received a call at 11 p.m. regarding a small plane that had departed Lincoln for the Auburn airport and was to return to Lincoln, but had not returned.

Deputies located a wrecked plane about a mile south of the Auburn airport.

Both occupants of the plane, 24-year-old Colton Hill of Kearney and 41-year-old Dustan Biegler of Valparaiso, Neb., were found deceased in the wreckage.

Auburn fire and rescue responded to the scene.

Federal authorities will conduct an investigation.

The University of Nebraska at Kearney issued a statement Thursday morning, acknowledging Hill's death. Hill was a 2022 UNK graduate.

“The UNK family offers our heartfelt condolences to Colton’s family and friends," the university said in a statement. "Colton was a visible member of our campus and the Kearney and UNK Aviation communities. He will be missed. We are saddened and share in your grieving.”

 

A Kearney High School graduate, Hill graduated from UNK in May 2022 with an Aviation Systems Management degree with an emphasis in flight operations. He was also a pitcher on the 2018 Loper baseball team.

Representatives from UNK Student Health and Counseling are available to individuals who would like to talk with someone. Visit the counseling center in room 144 of the Memorial Student Affairs Building or call 308.865.8248.

Faculty or staff who would like to talk with a counselor can also do so by calling Best Care at 402.354.8000, 800.666.8606 or 402.354.2710.