ARFF Daily News

Tuesday the 11th of March, 2025

UPDATE: Eyewitness recalls moment of Olmsted County plane crash

By Megan Zemple, Jess Abrahamson and Eric Min

ROCHESTER, Minn. (KTTC) – On Monday morning, KTTC spoke with a witness who saw the Olmsted County plane crash firsthand. Oak Summit Golf Course Owner Mitchell DeCook said this happened just after he put his children to bed on Sunday.

“I was sitting on the couch and looked out the window and noticed this plane really low kind of coming across,” he said. “The lights went out, the plane hit the trees, and [there was] a really, really loud bang and crash.”

Upon witnessing what unfolded on his golf course, DeCook immediately called 911 and went to the scene. He recalled, “I ran out here and helped him out of the plane and got him up to the ambulance.”

According to DeCook, he and the pilot had a brief chance to talk about what happened.

“He had just done a touch and go, and he lost his engine on its way back up,” he said. “He was at a really low altitude, and it didn’t really have anywhere he could have landed.”

Radio communications with air traffic control showed that the pilot told officials, “I just lost my engine.” Less than a minute after this message, he told the air traffic controller, “I am not going to make it back to the runway.”

“Unfortunately, this is more of a common one, where it seems like somebody was trying to make it to an airport, but doesn’t quite make it,” Captain Tim Parkin with the Olmsted County Sheriff Office said. “Luckily, the pilot was able to walk away because that’s not always the outcome here.”

DeCook told KTTC the pilot only had a cut on his forehead and a hurt neck due to the seatbelt. He said, “he was very shaken up when I was getting him out of the plane.”

The crashed Beechcraft Musketeer currently remains at the golf course’s wooded area. Although it may take a few days to remove it from the property, DeCook confirmed this event does not hinder Oak Summit’s operations.

“I have lived out here almost 40 years and I’ve never seen anything like it,” he said. “I mean to have one crash on your property is one thing but actually witness it going down and crash and that’s another thing. I was just thankful I was there to help him get out of there.”

DeCook shared it will take a few days to remove the crashed airplane out of the golf course. He said, “It’s an interesting sight for the golfers to see a plane crash as they go by golfing today.”

Below is the breaking news update:

ROCHESTER, Minn. (KTTC) – UPDATE: The Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office says the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will assist in the investigation after a small plane crashed in High Forest Township around 10:15 Sunday night.

The pilot was able to walk away from the crash near County Road 16 SW and was taken by Mayo Clinic Ambulance Services for evaluation at the hospital.

The pilot was the sole occupant of the single-engine plane.

Deputies located the crash site on private property after a report from a witness.

The Stewartville Fire Department and Rochester Fire Department also responded to the scene.

The sheriff’s office says no further details are available at this time.

UPDATE 12:03 a.m.: According to Olmsted County Sergeant Miller at the scene, authorities have located the plane near the Oak Summit Country Club in the woods on private property and the pilot is reportedly “okay.”

Sergeant Miller said the pilot was transported to the hospital as a precaution. He described the plane as a small single-engine plane.

According to Sgt. Miller the Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating.

The Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed to KTTC that a plane has crashed in Olmsted County.

No other information is available at this time

https://www.kttc.com/2025/03/10/olmsted-county-sheriffs-office-confirms-plane-crash-olmsted-county/

Medical helicopter crash in Mississippi kills 3, investigation underway

by ALEXX ALTMAN-DEVILBISS 

MADISON COUNTY, Miss. (TNND) — Three people died Monday when a medical helicopter crashed in Madison County, Mississippi, according to the University of Mississippi Medical Center.

The Eurocopter EC-135 helicopter crashed in a wooded area in Jackson around 1:51 p.m. with three people on board, the Federal Aviation Authority said in a statement.

UMMC confirmed there was no patient on board and that the victims were two crew members and a pilot.

"Earlier this afternoon, AirCare 3, our Columbus-based medical transport helicopter, had an accident in rural Madison County, north of the Reservoir," UMMC wrote on Facebook. "Sadly, there were no survivors."

It was the first crash in the 29-year history of the AirCare service, UMMC noted.

"It’s a tragic reminder of the risks Mississippi’s first responders take every day to keep us safe," Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves said. "Our state will never forget the sacrifice of these heroes."

The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the cause of the crash.

https://foxsanantonio.com/news/nation-world/medical-eurocopter-ec-135-helicopter-crash-in-mississippi-kills-3-investigation-underway-university-of-mississippi-medical-center-federal-aviation-authority-aircare-service-first-responders

NTSB Final Report: Boeing A75N1(PT17)

...Was Climbing The Airplane To Pattern Altitude When The Engine Began To Lose Power

Location: Monticello, Utah Accident Number: WPR23LA343
Date & Time: September 13, 2023, 11:00 Local Registration: N10KP
Aircraft: Boeing A75N1(PT17) Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Unknown or undetermined Injuries: 1 Minor
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal

Analysis: The pilot departed the airport, conducted a low pass over the runway, and was climbing the airplane to pattern altitude when the engine began to lose power. The pilot stated that the engine did not lose complete power; however, the rpm and airspeed continued to decline and he chose to make a forced landing. The airplane landed in heavily vegetated terrain and during the landing roll the left main landing gear collapsed, resulting in substantial damage to the lower left wing.

A postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of any preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Although remnants of a high-temperature cloth were found between the air filter and particle screen, no debris was found in the filter or induction screen and the air intake did not appear to be impeded. Based on the available information, the reason for the loss of engine power could not be determined.

Probable Cause and Findings: The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be -- A partial loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined.

FMI: www.ntsb.gov

Today in History

43 Years ago today: On 11 March 1982 Widerøes Flyveselskap flight 933, a DHC-6 Twin Otter, crashed into the sea off Gamvik, Norway, killing all 15 occupants.

Date: Thursday 11 March 1982

Time: 13:27

Type: de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter 300

Owner/operator: Widerøes Flyveselskap

Registration: LN-BNK

MSN: 568

Year of manufacture: 1977

Engine model: P&W Canada PT6A-27

Fatalities: Fatalities: 15 / Occupants: 15

Other fatalities: 0

Aircraft damage: Destroyed, written off

Category: Accident

Location: 6 km SE off Gamvik -   Norway

Phase: En route

Nature: Passenger - Scheduled

Departure airport: Berlevåg Airport (BVG/ENBV)

Destination airport: Mehamn Airport (MEH/ENMR)

Investigating agency: HSL

Confidence Rating:  Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:

Widerøes Flyveselskap flight 933, a DHC-6 Twin Otter, crashed into the sea off Gamvik, Norway, killing all 15 occupants.

Widerøe Flight WF933 was a scheduled domestic service from Kirkenes Airport, Norway to Alta Airport, with intermediate stops at Vadsø Airport, Berlevåg Airport, Mehamn Airport and Honningsvåg Airport.

The Twin Otter left Berlevåg at 13:19 hours on the third leg of the flight. The first officer reported to Mehamn Aerodrome Flight Information Service (AFIS) at 13:22 that the aircraft was at 2,000 feet altitude over the Tanafjord and had an estimated time of arrival of 13:33. Mehamn AFIS radioed Flight 933 at 13:35, but received no answer. The aircraft failed to arrive at was declared missing.

The wreckage was located two days after the accident at a depth of 45 meters in the water off Gamvik, Norway.

The investigation into the cause of the accident concluded that the vertical stabilizer failed in flight in strong turbulent wind conditions.

The accident occurred during a NATO military exercise, within a self-declared no-fly zone for allied military aircraft. A report in 1987 that radar had observed an unidentified aircraft which was on a collision course with the Twin Otter caused a second investigation to be started. It was concluded that the existence of other aircraft in the area could be ruled out; and that no other airborne objects could have caused the accident.

The debate about the accident resurfaced in 1997 when several sources claimed there was new or overlooked evidence of the involvement of NATO aircraft.

The Accident Investigation Board Norway (AIBN) decided in 1997 to investigate the new claims and concluded that there was no evidence to support these claims.

The accident was ordered investigated again in November 2002 after a retired Norwegian air traffic controller said one of the Harrier pilots, involved in a mission about the time of the accident, had requested an immediate landing because of technical problems. The report was published on 20 September 2005. It fully supported the findings of all three previous reports and found no evidence for an impact with a Harrier or any other aircraft.

ORIGINAL PROBABLE CAUSE: Overload due to a combination of clear air turbulence, local whirlwind, mountain wave and the pilots spontaneous improper actions.