Northern Lights
Well-known member
- Joined
- Sep 18, 2002
- Posts
- 669
Authorities in McLeod County today were trying to gather more information about a plane crash Wednesday afternoon that killed one man and critically injured another near the Winsted airport.
Federal Aviation Administration investigators and detectives for McLeod County examined the plane Wednesday and it has been removed from the scene, Mark Taylor, chief deputy, said today.
But officials still don't know who was piloting the plane and what caused the accident, he said.
Both men had piloting experience. A detective was going to try to interview, the Rev. Joel R. Swedberg, 48, a Lutheran pastor from Howard Lake, Minn., who was listed in critical condition Thursday morning at Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis. James G. Robillard, 66, of Minnetonka died.
The plane seemed to be having engine trouble before it crashed into a field about 3 p.m., Taylor said
"A witness said that the engine seemed to be stalling,'' he said. "Other than that, we haven't made any determination about what happened.''
The injured men were initially taken to Ridgeview Medical Center in Waconia. They were taken later to Hennepin County Medical Center, where Robillard was pronounced dead.
Swedberg is pastor of St. John's Lutheran Church in Howard Lake.
Robillard had been a licensed pilot for at least 25 years and a flight instructor for 10, said Diane Fiebelkorn, a next-door neighbor.
She said Robillard, a married father of three adult children and a grandfather as well, was a retired junior high school shop teacher in the Hopkins School District who loved flying.
"He was very intelligent, talented and meticulous. He did everything correctly," said Fiebelkorn, adding that she had known Robillard for 27 years. "He was the nicest man you would ever want to meet."
Another neighbor, Elaine Zitzman, has known Robillard and his wife, Jorun, for nearly 40 years.
"We're just stunned," she said. "He was very outgoing. When my husband had open-heart surgery earlier this year, Jim came over and snow-blowed our driveway.
"He was just a very lovely man."
The injured men were initially taken to Ridgeview Medical Center in Waconia. They were taken later to Hennepin County Medical Center, where Robillard was pronounced dead.
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This was a great guy, I had shop class with him in Jr. High...The clock in the kitchen, footstool in the garage, and magazine rack in the barthroom are all from his classes.
After my 9th grade year, he took a good friend of mine up flying on his own time in a Citabria and introduced a wide eyed 15 year old to aerobatics, and general aviation.
--N.L.
Federal Aviation Administration investigators and detectives for McLeod County examined the plane Wednesday and it has been removed from the scene, Mark Taylor, chief deputy, said today.
But officials still don't know who was piloting the plane and what caused the accident, he said.
Both men had piloting experience. A detective was going to try to interview, the Rev. Joel R. Swedberg, 48, a Lutheran pastor from Howard Lake, Minn., who was listed in critical condition Thursday morning at Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis. James G. Robillard, 66, of Minnetonka died.
The plane seemed to be having engine trouble before it crashed into a field about 3 p.m., Taylor said
"A witness said that the engine seemed to be stalling,'' he said. "Other than that, we haven't made any determination about what happened.''
The injured men were initially taken to Ridgeview Medical Center in Waconia. They were taken later to Hennepin County Medical Center, where Robillard was pronounced dead.
Swedberg is pastor of St. John's Lutheran Church in Howard Lake.
Robillard had been a licensed pilot for at least 25 years and a flight instructor for 10, said Diane Fiebelkorn, a next-door neighbor.
She said Robillard, a married father of three adult children and a grandfather as well, was a retired junior high school shop teacher in the Hopkins School District who loved flying.
"He was very intelligent, talented and meticulous. He did everything correctly," said Fiebelkorn, adding that she had known Robillard for 27 years. "He was the nicest man you would ever want to meet."
Another neighbor, Elaine Zitzman, has known Robillard and his wife, Jorun, for nearly 40 years.
"We're just stunned," she said. "He was very outgoing. When my husband had open-heart surgery earlier this year, Jim came over and snow-blowed our driveway.
"He was just a very lovely man."
The injured men were initially taken to Ridgeview Medical Center in Waconia. They were taken later to Hennepin County Medical Center, where Robillard was pronounced dead.
----------------------------
This was a great guy, I had shop class with him in Jr. High...The clock in the kitchen, footstool in the garage, and magazine rack in the barthroom are all from his classes.
After my 9th grade year, he took a good friend of mine up flying on his own time in a Citabria and introduced a wide eyed 15 year old to aerobatics, and general aviation.
--N.L.
