The reason for the plane crashing is yet to be revealed and it is currently under investigation.
Randy Reimer, 74, and Susie Reimer, 70, were headed home after attending a wedding in Wisconsin, when the plane they were on board crashed killing them both, the Waukesha County Sheriff's Department said, per Fox6. They left Milwaukee and planned to stop in Kansas en route to their home in New Mexico when the plane crashed, around 9:40 am on October 12, 2021.
The single-engine aircraft crashed near State Highway 165 and Red Wing Drive in a residential neighborhood around 9:35 a.m, narrowly missing a nearby home, reports PEOPLE. The Waukesha County Sheriff's Office was notified at 9:41 a.m. on Tuesday "that the FAA Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) at Milwaukee lost both radio and radar communication with an airplane," according to a news release.
Around the same time, the Waukesha County Communications Center "received phone calls from citizens in both the Village of Vernon and Village of Waukesha reporting a loud noise and possible debris in the area," officials said.
While the reason for the plane to crash is not yet known, the couple's son revealed that his dad who had a passion for flying had built the plane himself which was also being piloted by him. "My dad spent three and a half years building that (plane). It was his pride and joy," said Matthew Reimer, to WISN12. "When they retired from living in Menomonee Falls and moved out to Albuquerque, the first thing he did was move by the kids so he could build his own airplane."
Reimer revealed that his parents—who had just celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in June 2021— had gone to attend his cousin's wedding on Saturday, October 9, 2021. "They were trying to fly home," Reimer said. While the investigation is still underway, the devastated son said his parents were adventurous and fun-loving people.
As for what he's feeling, "Just anger at this point," Reimer said because they died "in such a senseless way."
Tragically, the individuals that were killed were Randy Reimer (74) and Susie Reimer (70). They just celebrated their 50th anniversary in Milwaukee. Over Waukesha, contact was lost with the plane as it was descending, and an airplane emergency was declared. https://t.co/S0i5mPYkdQ pic.twitter.com/EEf3tC3uob
— Waukesha Alerts (@WaukeshaAlerts) October 13, 2021
Meanwhile, a neighbor who was at home at the time of the crash spoke about how he was startled by the sound of a "strange thump."
"I was having an ordinary morning, working on stories about space, and heard what I thought was a strange thump," David Eicher told NBC affiliate WTMJ. "I thought of a heavy truck slamming or even a truck crash, but there was no evidence of that."
"I'm glad my family's OK. I mean, I'm glad all my neighbors are OK, too, but you know it's just a tragedy that they died out here," said resident Cory Peterson.
"It just reminds us of the fragility of life – it’s a very sad day for the township and those families affected, obviously," said Eicher. He also shared about the incident on Twitter. "Yesterday was an extraordinary and sad day here, with a plane crashing into our neighborhood across the street from our house," Eichner wrote. "Sadly, the two aboard are deceased, but it could have been far worse, the plane narrowly missing a neighbor's house."
References:
https://www.fox6now.com/news/plane-crash-in-village-of-waukesha-officials-say
https://www.wisn.com/article/couple-identified-in-small-plane-crash/37943302
https://twitter.com/deicherstar/status/1448265679581454337
Cover Image Source: Twitter | Waukesha Alerts (@WaukeshaAlerts)
