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Authorities ID plane crash victims in Iowa

News

August 15th, 2011 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Authorities have released the names of two people who died in the crash of a small plane near the Des Moines River in central Iowa.

The state medical examiner’s office on Monday said 67-year-old Timothy Griffith, of West Des Moines, and 52-year-old Kendall Belz, of Johnston, died in Saturday’s crash near Madrid . Officials say they died of multiple blunt force injuries.

The vintage World War II plane went down in a remote area that was only accessible by boat or helicopter. The plane took down some high-power transmission lines when it crashed.

The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating.