Pilot reports his engine lost power before crashing small plane near Rochester

ROCHESTER — The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) filed a preliminary report on its investigation into the March 9 plane crash that occurred near Rochester. The plane, a Beech A23-19 or a Beechcraft Musketeer, departed from Lakeville, Minnesota, and was en route to Rochester International Airport, the report said. The crash occurred around 10:15 p.

m. The owner of Oak Summit Golf Course, who lives near the 2700 block of County Road 16 SW in High Forest Township, reported the crash. ADVERTISEMENT The pilot reported that the plane's engine lost power at about 650 feet above ground level, the report said.



Before the engine lost power, the pilot heard a "click click" sound, according to the report. After attempting to restart the engine, the pilot declared an emergency and executed a forced landing, the report stated. The plane sustained substantial damage to both wings, the fuselage and the empennage, or tail assembly.

The pilot, who was the sole occupant, sustained minor injuries. The NTSB labeled the incident as a Class 3 investigation, which seek to identify the safety issues that led to the cause of the accident. The plane was retained for further examination.

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