Plane crash kills 3 family members in eastern Missouri

VIBURNUM, Mo. -- An Iowa couple and their son were identified Sunday as the victims of a small-plane crash Saturday in a remote part of southeast Missouri.

The pilot was Randy Weber, 49, of Charter Oak, Iowa. The other two victims were his 37-year-old wife, Amy, and their 10-year-old son Tyler, said Washington County Coroner Brian DeClue. He said the family died immediately from the impact of the crash.

The single-engine Piper Cherokee was en route from Jefferson City to Muscle Shoals, Ala., when controllers lost contact around 8:45 a.m. Saturday. DeClue said the family had been headed from there to Florida to take a cruise. He did not have additional details.

Based on initial reports, Randy Weber told controllers he had zero visibility and a strong headwind shortly before the crash, said Washington County Sheriff Kevin Schroeder.

Schroeder said it was very cloudy with light rain at the time of the crash. The sheriff said the crash occurred about three miles northeast of Viburnum in the southwest corner of Washington County. It's a densely wooded area with hilly terrain.

The sheriff says initial reports that four people were on the plane were due to some miscommunication and were incorrect.

He said the Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board planned to be at the crash site Sunday afternoon.