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Serving Northern St. Louis County, Minnesota

Pilot dies in White Iron Lake plane crash

Keith Vandervort
Posted 8/21/20

ELY – The Lake County Sheriff's Department confirmed reports Friday morning that a single-engine, four-seat airplane crashed into White Iron Lake just after 11 p.m. Thursday night.

"The …

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Pilot dies in White Iron Lake plane crash

Posted

ELY – The Lake County Sheriff's Department confirmed reports Friday morning that a single-engine, four-seat airplane crashed into White Iron Lake just after 11 p.m. Thursday night.

"The pilot, and only occupant, left the Ely Municipal Airport shortly after 9 p.m. and ended up crashing into White Iron Lake,” said a press release. “The plane was heading toward the Grand Marais/Cook County Airport from the Ely Airport. Responders found the victim. A 58-year old male from Woodbury, Minn., died on impact.”

The plan apparently nose-dived into the water about 300 yards off the shore of White Iron Beach Resort. “The plane is in about 30 feet of water,” said resort owner Kerry Davis, who was one of the first people on the scene.

“My wife woke me up about 11 p.m. and I motored out to the area where some of our guests witnessed the crash from the beach,” Davis said Friday morning. “I smelled fuel and I quickly looked around and started seeing debris floating to the surface." He pointed to an area to the left of his resort’s beach area and indicated the crash area was behind a small island.

“I contacted law enforcement and helped guide rescue boats to the location,” he said. “I heard the one person aboard the plane didn’t survive.”

Both Lake and St. Louis County Sheriff Departments, St. Louis County Rescue Squad, Ely Police Department, Ely Area Ambulance Service, and Morse/Fall Lake Township Fire Department responded to the scene.

A large pile of debris was roped off at the White Iron Beach Resort boat launch Friday morning. A smaller pile of debris was also piled on the shore of the public boat landing off Pine Road.

The accident remains under investigation. The Timberjay will update this story as more information becomes available.