Missing Plane, Body Of Pilot Thomas Stillwell Found In River Near Carlton County Airport
CARLTON, Minn. (WCCO/AP) — Transportation officials are investigating after a missing plane was found crashed in a river near Moose Lake Airport Thursday morning. The body of the pilot has also been recovered.
According to the Carlton County Sheriff's Office, a search for a missing single-engine plane that went missing Wednesday concluded at 7 a.m. Thursday when the plane was located partially submerged in Moose Horn River.
The river is located a short distance northwest of Moose Lake Airport runway, where the missing plane left Wednesday evening.
The body of a man believed to be the pilot was also located. Carlton County officials say all indications appear the body is that of Dr. Thomas Jay Stillwell, 65, of Plymouth.
Earlier Thursday, Carlton County Sheriff's Office says a Mooney M20J single-engine plane filed a flight plan with the Federal Aviation Administration for a Wednesday trip from the Moose Lake Carlton County Airport to the Crystal Airport in the Twin Cities. The plane was scheduled to land in Crystal at 5:15 but never arrived.
Authorities checked several airports but didn't find the plane. It was never picked up on radar at either the Duluth or Minneapolis airports.
The plane has a tail number of N111JP. FAA records show it was registered to the nonprofit Club Cherokee, which operates private aircraft for members.
The FAA and the NTSB are sending investigators to the scene.
At this point, there is no word on if there were other occupants in the plane.
Dr. Stillwell worked fo Urology Associates, who released MNU Statement_Dr. Thomas Stillwell on his passing.
(© Copyright 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)