CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA (BNO NEWS) — A small plane carrying three people crashed near an Iowa airport on Saturday evening, officials said.

The Cessna 177RG aircraft, which is capable of carrying one pilot and three passengers, went down as it was approaching Eastern Iowa Airport in Cedar Rapids, according to FAA spokeswoman Elizabeth Cory.

“Our investigation has begun, [it will take] several weeks or more before completion,” Cory said.

The conditions of the three people on board the aircraft was not immediately known.

Federal records show the fixed wing single-engine aircraft was build in 1978 and was registered to Philip Fisher of Cabell, West Virginia. It was not known if Fisher was actually on board when the plane went down.

DES MOINES, IOWA (BNO NEWS) – A Newton, IA doctor found guilty Thursday on thirty one health care fraud charges.

Dr. Angel Serafin Martin, M.D., 62, was found guilty on thirty one counts of health care fraud at the completion of a five-day jury trial. These charges were initiated after a patient complained to Wellmark (insurance provider) about an explanation of the benefits form indicating a visit with Dr. Martin that did not in fact occur.

Wellmark began an investigation of these matters and referred it to the FBI. The FBI initiated its investigation and in November 2006, the FBI and HHS-OIG (Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General) executed a search warrant at Dr. Martin’s Newton, IA, clinic. This investigation disclosed that Medicare, Medicaid, Wellmark, and Prinicpal were defrauded by this scheme.

During the trial, 27 patients testified, in addition to other witnesses, concerning office visits during the 2005 to 2007 time period. According to the trial testimony, during the time period of 2004 to 2006, Dr. Matin was one of the top billers of the highest consultation rates in the 12 state region, and among the top 2 in Iowa. The consensus is that he performed a rather limited office visit, but billed it as though it were much more involved, sometimes referred to as “up-coding.”

Additionally, according to testimony, some of the consultations and visits were medically unnecessary under the circumstances and often times just outright ridiculous. In one circumstance Dr. Martin altered a medical record before providing it to law officials.

Analysis showed that on 53 days in the time period 2002 to 2006, Dr. Martin billed for visits which, if performed, would have exceeded a 24-hour day. This was based upon AMA averages of physician time spent on these types of visits.

A spokesperson for Wellmark said, “On behalf of Wellmark’s members, we are pleased that the U.S. Attorney’s Office has chosen to aggressively pursue health care fraud, because fraud drives up the cost of health care for all Iowans.”

Each count of Health Care Fraud is subject to a maximum sentence of ten years in prison and a fine of $250,000. The court will set a sentencing date for Dr. Martin at a future date.