Pilot just missed runway and died in small plane crash at Minnesota airport

Pilot killed in Minnesota plane crash

CRYSTAL, Minn. — Authorities say the pilot of a small airplane was killed trying to land in pouring rain at a Minnesota airport.

The plane was engulfed in flames and destroyed after landing Tuesday night at the Crystal Airport near Minneapolis. Crystal Police Sgt. Rob Erkenbrack (UR’-ken-brak) said Wednesday that the pilot was killed, and no one else was on board. The pilot’s identity hasn’t been released.

Erkenbrack says the control tower had just closed for the evening when the pilot came in for a landing shortly after 10 p.m. and missed the runway.

Records show the single-engine Cirrus plane is owned by Laserman Inc. of Maple Grove, a medical laser service and sales company. Laserman owner Bruce Miller confirmed Wednesday that he owns the plane, but didn’t know about the crash.