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(Updated with the names of all 3 victims) 2 die, 1 hurt in Woodbury County plane crash

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December 3rd, 2012 by Ric Hanson

CORRECTIONVILLE, Iowa (AP) — Authorities have released the names of the three people on board a small plane that crashed in northwest Iowa this weekend. The Woodbury County Sheriff’s office says 70-year-old Gaylen Knaack, of Correctionville, was flying the plane when it crashed into a farm field 2½ miles south of Correctionville Saturday evening. Knaack’s two passengers died in the crash, and Knaack suffered serious burns. The passengers were: 53-year-old Lee Schroeder, of Oto, and 55-year-old James Smith, of Correctionville. Former Anthon Fire Chief Mike Berning says Schroeder was a longtime firefighter who was scheduled to portray Santa Claus at a town celebration next weekend.

Knaack was taken to a Sioux City hospital and later transferred to a burn center in Lincoln, NE. Saint Elizabeth spokeswoman Betty Thompson says Knaack was in critical condition Sunday.