Small jet that crashed in Minnesota was en route to Oshkosh air show
GRANITE FALLS Minn A small jet en track to a popular air show in Wisconsin crashed near Granite Falls on Monday evening killing one man and injuring another David Colin Dacus of San Francisco was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash shortly before p m Monday Mark Ryan Ruff of Dallas was the surviving occupant The jet crashed about miles south of Granite Falls near the Granite Falls Airport The men were aboard a -year-old military trainer jet known as an Aero Vodochody L- Albatros The Czech-built aircraft is registered as N L to an individual in Alpine Wyo The jet s two occupants were flying from Watertown S D to Fond du Lac Wis to attend the Experimental Aircraft Association show in Oshkosh Wis They had flown from Gillette Wyo to Watertown on Monday afternoon Federal Aviation Administration records show they were in the air for minutes from p m to p m after departing Watertown The jet made a steady climb while on a highway straight as an arrow from Watertown toward Fond du Lac reaching an altitude of feet according to flight material reviewed by Robert Katz a commercial pilot in Dallas with years of experience as a pilot and analyzing records of flights Katz commented that in his opinion a rapid climb to feet may have stressed the -year-old aircraft but that it would not be distinctive to climb to that height for a flight covering the distance between Watertown and Fond du Lac The flight evidence show the jet began a steady descent after it reached its peak altitude Yellow Medicine County Sheriff Bill Flaten released that his office had been informed the plane was experiencing engine problems The flight path shows the jet made a relatively large circular loop in the vicinity of the Granite Falls Airport apparently as part of the attempt to descend for a landing It made a much smaller loop and descended in seconds at its crash location according to the FAA information At approximately p m Monday the Yellow Medicine County Sheriff s Office received a call that an aircraft had crashed Crisis responders arrived on the scene and assisted the lone survivor While at the crash scene personnel determined that there was an unspent cartridge used for the ejection seats in the jet The Bloomington Bomb Squad and the th Air Wing were called for assistance according to the sheriff s office The cartridge was safely removed from the site and a controlled explosion was performed to render it safe the news release reported Investigators with the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board arrived on the scene Tuesday They are conducting a full inquiry into the case They will remove the wreckage and examine it at a different location Related Articles Air traffic controllers didn t warn a B- bomber crew about a nearby airliner the Air Force says Green Line reopens for Green Day two days earlier than anticipated in time for Yacht Club Fest St Paul considers Allow pedicabs during rush hour St Croix River bridge inspection underway delays expected Ramsey County Rice St Arlington Ave intersection to close until July
