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February 20, 2013, Parkers Prairie, Minn. Maule MXT-7-180 Star Rocket

Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • An airplane crashed in a snow-covered field around 1820 Central time, resulting in the pilot's fatal injury and substantial aircraft damage under visual conditions.
  • The pilot's last communication at 1805 confirmed the home landing strip was plowed, approximately 15 minutes before the reported impact.
  • A witness heard a "pop," described as an engine backfire, immediately followed by the sound of impact before the airplane came to rest over 300 feet from its initial impact point.
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The airplane was substantially damaged when it impacted a snow covered field at about 1820 Central time. The private pilot was fatally injured. Visual conditions prevailed.

While en route, the pilot was in contact with his wife and brother via cellphone and reported being over the Quad Cities area around 1510. The pilot later contacted his brother asking if the landing strip at the farm where they kept the airplane had been plowed. The pilot’s brother responded that it was plowed and the pilot responded “okay” at 1805. That was the last communication with the flight.

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