SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — A plane described as jet trainer crashed near Granite Falls, Minnesota, on Monday evening after a flight record said it departed from Watertown. One person was killed and a second was injured, according to the Yellow Medicine County Sheriff’s Office in Minnesota.
The plane was an Aero Vodochody L-39 that crashed around 5:30 p.m., according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Flight Track records show the jet trainer was headed to Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.
The sheriff’s office said it received a report of a jet experiencing engine trouble near the Granite Falls Airport at 5:23 p.m. An emergency call at 5:32 p.m. said the jet had crashed near Minnesota Highway 23, north of the intersection with Yellow Medicine County Road 39.
Emergency responders found an individual standing alongside the highway who received medical attention. A second occupant was pronounced deceased at the scene, according to the sheriff’s office.
Watertown is about 85 miles from Granite Falls. Granite Falls is on U.S. Highway 212 and Minnesota Highway 23. The municipal airport is about four miles south of the city.
As of 2 p.m. Tuesday, the names of those in the crash had not been released.
The sheriff’s office dispatch said Tuesday afternoon that the National Transportation Safety Board had been at the crash site.
Industry websites describe the Aero Vodochody L-39 as a versatile jet trainer.
