HAMBURG, IOWA — Two Kansas men died in a single-engine airplane crash near Hamburg on Monday evening, November 2, 2026, and federal investigators are working to determine why the aircraft went down in rural southwest Iowa.
The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office identified the victims as Brandon K. Schatz, 44, and Kyle J. Ginavan, 45, both of Kansas City, Kansas. The Iowa State Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed their identities, which authorities announced November 10.
Deputies were sent to the 2700 block of Bluff Road at approximately 7:39 p.m. after an aircraft crash was reported. First responders found two people at the scene, and both were pronounced dead there.
Federal investigators examine fatal plane crash
The aircraft was identified in aviation incident records as a single-engine Piper PA-28-180, registration N9342J. Preliminary FAA reporting described the fatalities as one pilot and one passenger. Authorities have not established publicly which victim was flying the airplane.
Representatives of the Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board responded to the crash. The NTSB is leading the investigation in coordination with local authorities.
Investigators have not announced a cause. The victims’ departure airport, intended destination and the events immediately preceding the crash have not been confirmed in the sheriff’s release.
Emergency responders converge on rural Fremont County
The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Iowa State Patrol, Page County Sheriff’s Office, Hamburg Fire and Rescue Department, Fremont County Emergency Management, Fremont County Medical Examiner, Fremont County Department of Secondary Roads and Benefiel Towing.
The sheriff’s office said no further information about the cause was available and extended condolences to the victims’ families and loved ones.
Other aviation tragedies involving Iowa residents
A previous aviation tragedy involving Iowa residents occurred in September 2024, when a flight from Fort Dodge crashed near Anderson, Indiana, killing four people, as NorthIowaToday.com reported. That incident involved a different Piper airplane.
In April 2023, Northern Iowa residents Glen and Bonnie McKenna died in a single-engine airplane crash in Nevada. There is no reported connection between those earlier accidents and the November 2 crash near Hamburg.
The circumstances of the Fremont County accident remain under federal investigation. Any determination of probable cause will depend on the NTSB’s findings.