Northfield man escapes plane crash with only minor cuts
A 61-year-old Northfield man piloting a small single-engine aircraft escaped with minor injuries after crashing his plane a half-mile north of County Road 86 and east of Highway 3 following an aborted landing Tuesday afternoon south of Farmington.
Benny Harris Svien was flying back to his home after a brief flight when he attempted to land on the runway located on his property, according to Dakota County Sheriff Dave Bellows.
After attempting to land he powered the aircraft, but began to experience mechanical problems with the plane’s rudder at approximately 1,700 feet. After crashing into a cornfield at about 2 p.m., the plane caught on fire. Svien was able to get out of the plane, sustaining only minor cuts to his neck.
The plane, a 2002 Kit Fox classified as an experimental aircraft, was destroyed in the crash.
In addition to the Dakota County Sheriff’s Office, the Farmington Police and Fire departments also responded to the scene. They were joined by the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board.
– Tad Johnson
