Small airplane crash in Paynesville leaves pilot injured

PAYNESVILLE, Minn. (KMSP) - A small experimental airplane crashed in Paynesville on Saturday, leaving the 71-year-old pilot with significant injuries, according to authorities.

The Paynesville Police Department arrived around 2:45 in the afternoon to find Michael Jude standing next to his crashed airplane, roughly half a mile from the end of the runway.

According to the Sterns County Sheriff's Office, Jude left from the Clear Lake Airport and was supposed to land in the Paynesville Airport when the engine started to overheat.

The plane's engine failed, and Jude attempted to land in a field. The plane's wings and landing gear were damaged in the rough landing, according to the Sterns County Sheriff's Office.

Jude was transported to the St. Cloud Hospital for treatment, according to a press release.

According to registration papers, the plane is classified as a fixed wing single engine amateur build experimental plane built in 2009.

The Federal Aviation Administration is still investigating the crash.