For the second time in a month, a small plane in the Winona area came down hard, this time near Lewiston on Thursday evening after the pilot reported engine trouble and tried to pull off an emergency landing.
Just before 7 p.m., a Glasair I RG went down near the intersection of Winona County Road 33 and Winona County Road 6, according to FOX 9. The 62-year-old pilot, who was alone in the aircraft, managed to get out on his own and was taken by Lewiston Ambulance to Mayo Clinic Hospital–Saint Marys. Authorities have not yet released his condition. Emergency crews locked down the scene while investigators began sorting through the wreckage.
Context: Another Recent Crash
Thursday’s incident lands uncomfortably close to a deadly crash less than a month ago. On June 25, a 74-year-old pilot was killed when his plane went down at Winona Municipal Airport. A preliminary National Transportation Safety Board report noted that the aircraft’s wing had been recently changed before that flight, although investigators have not assigned fault, as reported by the Star Tribune. For local pilots and neighbors, two crashes in such a short span is more than enough to raise eyebrows.
Investigation And Response
The Winona County Sheriff’s Office said a long list of local and state responders rolled out to the Lewiston crash site, including the sheriff’s office, Lewiston Fire Department, Lewiston Ambulance, Winona County Emergency Management and the Minnesota State Patrol. The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are now assisting with the investigation, FOX 9 reports. Officials say the case remains active and more information will be released when they have it.
In the meantime, authorities are asking the public to steer clear of the crash area so investigators can do their work safely and without interference. Anyone who may have seen the plane go down, or who has photos or video from the scene, is urged to contact the Winona County Sheriff’s Office.
