MONROE — Local emergency officials were left to pick up the pieces in the days after a plane crashed into flames and killed two outside Monroe’s Municipal Airport Monday night, November 24.

“The scene is secure now,” said Green County Sheriff Cody D. Kanable early Tuesday, hours after he awaited arrival of investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

Later, after they were on scene outside Monroe, Kanable said his officers and others from the area would continue to assist those federal investigators.

“Prior to landing, the plane crashed in the gravel quarry on the north side of State Highway 59 immediately adjacent to Monroe Airport,” the sheriff said, in an updated release on social media.

Those killed in the crash were not identified as of the newspaper’s holiday deadline on Tuesday. They were identified by officials only as a 43-year-old man from Oshkosh and a 41-year-old man from Omro.

According to published reports, the plane was 2003 Socata TBM 700, a single-engine turbo propeller plane and it took off from Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh just after 4:40 p.m., bound for Monroe.

Sheriff’s deputies and other first responders arrived to find the wreckage in flames along with some construction equipment related to the on-site quarrying operation. They were assisted by Green County EMS, Monroe Rural Fire, and Juda Fire crews.

“The fire was extinguished by the fire departments,” said Kanable. “Emergency personnel located two individuals deceased on scene.”

Monday’s crash was called in to authorities at 5:14 p.m. and conditions were extremely poor for flight at the time — with the sun having already set, plus dense fog and low visibility. There was reportedly only a 300foot overcast ceiling and 1/4 mile visibility.

“Our condolences and thoughts go out to the grieving families,” said the sheriff’s department release.