CRYSTAL, Minn. – Police say the pilot of a single-engine airplane was killed trying to land in pouring rain just after the tower had closed at Crystal Airport.
The Cirrus SR22 crashed shortly after 10 p.m. Tuesday, just after the tower had closed for the night.
Crystal Police Sgt. Rob Erkenbrack says the pilot was killed, and no one else was on board.
Erkenbrack says it was "pouring" rain when the pilot came in for a landing on the north-south runway and "just missed" the runway, crashing about a hundred feet to the east. The plane was destroyed.
Records show the plane is owned by Laserman Inc. of Maple Grove, a medical laser service and sales company. Laserman owner Bruce Miller confirmed to The Associated Press that he owns the plane but says he did not know about the crash and declined comment.
The victim's name has not been released. It's not known where the plane was coming from.
The airport, just northwest of Minneapolis, serves small aircraft.
Federal investigators are expected to arrive Wednesday.
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