Owen Knutson
Owen Knutson
Photo of Owen with his family in front of their plane
Owen Knutson (1999-May 24, 2017) was a junior student athlete at Chetek-Weyerhaeuser High School in Chetek, Barron County, WI. Owen was known by friends and family for his big heart and for always having a smile on his face.
Personal Life
Photo of Owen playing football
Owen Knutson lived in Chetek, Wisconsin with his parents Dawn and Tim, and his sister Claire. Owen was passionate about flying and had grown up around planes. His father is a commercial airline pilot and the family had four airplanes. A family friend said he had been looking forward to going up with Knutson this weekend to tour recent tornado damage before Owen's death. Owen is also passionate about football, hunting, and fishing.
High School
Owen Knutson was a student athlete at Cameron High School.
Death
Facebook post in Owen's memory by his friend Katie Ann
On May 25, 2017 Owen Knutson, was killed when the two-seater, Piper Aircraft single-engine airplane he was piloting crashed into the Red Cedar River. His passenger, Hunter Gillett, 18, a senior at Cameron, was seriously injured and taken to Eau Claire Wisconsin. He was later airlifted to Rochester, Minnesota, in serious condition.
Knutson had flown out of his family’s private airstrip, south of the crash site.
Several callers reported the incident around 6:34 p.m., May 24.
A caller on the river said they saw the plane fly over them, then heard a crash.
Emergency services converged on the area, including Barron County Sheriff’s Department deputies, Chetek police officers, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources wardens, Chetek Ambulance Service, Bloomer Ambulance, Chetek Fire Department, Sand Creek Fire Department, Wisconsin State Patrol and LifeLink Helicopter. [1]
The wreckage was located in the river about three miles south of Chetek, east of CTH I and south of Fifth Avenue, according to Barron County Sheriff Chris Fitzgerald, and both Knutson and Gillett were pulled from the water.
Knutson was pronounced deceased at the scene.
The BCSD, Barron County Medical Examiner’s Office, National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration are investigating.
Barron County Sheriff Chris Fitzgerald said those who saw the plane were being interviewed.
“Please keep these families and the students of the Chetek[-Weyerhaeuser] and Cameron school districts in your prayers,” Fitzgerald said.
Chetek-Weyerhaeuser superintendent Mark Johnson said many people were helping students and staff through this difficult time.