Account
Jan 28, 2026
Jan 28, 2026
Megan
Elizabeth Casey
19
19
5'4 inches
145 lbs
White
Female
Megan Elizabeth Casey, a 19-year-old woman from Powell, Ohio, disappeared on December 29, 2016. She was a promising freshman at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she was a direct-admit nursing student. Described as strong, kind, smart, and funny, Megan had graduated Summa Cum Laude from Olentangy Liberty High School earlier that year. She was passionate about working with children and had set her sights on a career in nursing, with a particular interest in the neonatal intensive care unit. On the evening of her disappearance, Megan, along with her father, Brian Casey, had attended a Cleveland Cavaliers basketball game. After the game, Megan and her father boarded a private Cessna Citation 525 airplane at Burke Lakefront Airport in Cleveland. They were joined by their friends, the Fleming family: John, an experienced pilot who was flying the plane; his wife, Suzanne; and their two sons, Jack and Andrew. The group was making the short flight back home to the Ohio State University airport in Columbus. Just three minutes after takeoff, however, the plane disappeared from radar about two miles out over Lake Erie. An extensive search was launched by the U.S. Coast Guard and other agencies, but efforts were initially hampered by difficult weather conditions. Tragically, the search and recovery mission eventually confirmed the plane had crashed into the lake. Debris from the aircraft, including a bag, washed ashore in the days following the incident. An investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board later determined that pilot spatial disorientation and fatigue were the likely causes of the accident. While the remains of some of the passengers were eventually recovered, Megan's were not. She is presumed to have died in the crash alongside her father and the Fleming family. Megan was remembered as a deeply loved daughter, sister, and friend who was active in her church and had a passion for serving others. Her university noted her clear commitment to nursing and the impact she had already made in her short time on campus.
Dec 29, 2016
Cleveland
Ohio
Cleveland
Cuyahoga County Sheriff's Office
216-348-4232
05/16/2026
