CLEARBROOK — A pilot was airlifted out of the city of Clearbrook after a plane crash-landed onto a highway early Monday, April 29.
The Clearbrook-Gonvick Police Department reported the single-engine aircraft went down around 1:40 a.m. at the intersection of Highway 92 and Hazel Avenue. The plane remained at the site as the sun came up, marked with a traffic cone and resting against a retaining wall.
The pilot was the sole occupant of the plane. First responders found the victim near the aircraft and they were ultimately airlifted to a Fargo hospital.
While the investigation is now being handled by the Federal Aviation Administration, Chief of Police Ryan Solee said the preliminary investigation suggests a mechanical failure caused the crash, coupled with poor weather conditions.
Sanford Medical, Bemidji Police and the Beltrami County Sheriff’s Office assisted at the scene.
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