Wellstone Plane Crash

[AlexW]

Does anyone know what navaids were available for the MN airport? NTSB guy and airline pilot were just on FOX, but no mention of the IFR aids for the airport. I have not heard mention that the pilot could have gone below minimums, and just flew into the ground.

[rdwtic]

Here you go,
http://www.airnav.com/airport/KEVM

[AdA$tra]

Sounds like the weather was particulary lousy (normal) over the Iron Range yesterday. Freezing drizzle at altitude.

[coder2]

I don't live that far away from Evelyth... The weather was horrible yesterday. Freezing temps, freezing rain.

I know a number of people that fly similar planes to the one that crashed. One of them said that he believes the primary cause of the crash has to be icing.. He also stated that the pilot had to be crazy to fly in this weather.

Driving my kids to school yesterday, the windshield wipers were working hard to push the icy bits of freezing rain off. Some of it was starting to cake on the sides.. Hope that gives you an idea of just what the weather was like up here.

[JimNtexas]

Go here:

http://edj.net/cgi-bin/echoplate.pl

and enter EVM as the airport identifier.

[AlexW]

I have to agree, not very smart thinking to do such a flight. Icing is very likely to have been a problem
during the approach.

[Consort]

[IronJack]

If this was just a small FBO, it likely had minimal IFR aids. Just a guess. And with the weather being what it was, this was a risky flight.

On the other hand, now we know how God votes ...

[coder2]

Doesn't make any sense to me at all... Especially since all the news reports here in MN are saying that both Wellstone and his wife were fearful of flying in these planes...

[MHGinTN]

Are you wondering if the pilot may have been trying an instrument landing and a 'beacon' was misplaced two miles out from the actual runway? It was my thought also, given the method of disposing of an airplane in the Ron Brown death/plane crash. It is diubtful that the people would ever be told the truth if that is the case.

[BluH2o]

On the other hand, now we know how God votes ...

God is impartial ... even though it's tough to understand why if your a conservative. However, I think Wellstone stating emphatically (prior to winning his Senate seat the first time) that he would only serve two terms was tempting fate. He reneged and was running for his third term ... power has a way of corrupting the best intentions. John Glenn (D) is another good example.

[AlexW]

Well, I can't find my tinfoil hat, haha
A relocated beacon would be last on my list of causes..
Hey, maybe it was UBL with his trusty Bushmaster !!!

[Voltage]

Evelith does not have a precision approach. The VOR-DME approach is the best they have and it requires a ceiling of about 1000 feet. It is a low traffic airport w/o any scheduled flights.

Looks like pilot error..should have diverted to nearby Duluth which has precision approach.

[mewzilla]

FWIW, I heard one of the news net report last night that someone who'd been out to the scene said that the site looked like an accident from the result of a failure. That was just a first impression. What I'd like to know was why Wellstone was taking a plane in bad weather for a car trip that would've taken about an hour.

[Piquaboy]

Jesse did it. He moved the beacon which guided the plane down into the trees. Just Kidding!

[Mr_Magoo]

NTSB Identification: DCA03MA008

14 CFRPart 135 operation of Air Taxi & Commuter Aviation Charter Inc. Accident occurred Friday, October 25, 2002 at Eveleth, MN
Aircraft:Beech King Air 100, registration: N41BE
Injuries: 8 Fatal.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed.
On October 25, 2002, a Beechcraft King Air, registration N41BE, crashed on approach to Eveleth-Virginia Airport, Eveleth, MN. The airplane was been operated under 14CFR part 135 has a charter flight by Aviation Charter, Inc. when it crashed 2 miles from the airport. The airplane was destroyed and all 8 persons on board were killed.

[MoralSense]

a car trip that would've taken about an hour

I heard that he went up to Evelyth for the funeral of a friend's father, and aimed to be back in the Twin Cities for campaign stops with Sen. Kennedy. That's a lot more than an hour's drive -- more like 3-4 one way.

[AdA$tra]

I once had a girlfriend from Tower. I attended a wedding with her in Evelyth in the early eighties. I was a camp counselor near Brainerd for a couple of summers and came to love the North Woods.

[mewzilla]

Another FReeper put the trip at about an hour. In any case, why put yourself, your family, staff, and two pilots at risk for a short hop on a day when condiditons are questionable?

[Route66]

"I have to agree, not very smart thinking to do such a flight. Icing is very likely to have been a problem
during the approach."

I agree, as well. 90% certain the cause of the crash will turn out to be wing icing.