Pilot dies in plane crash near Brainerd

BRAINERD, Minn. (AP) -- The Federal Aviation Administration says a pilot was killed and a passenger was injured when a small plane crashed into Upper Whitefish Lake near Brainerd.

It happened just before 10 a.m. Sunday. FAA spokesman Roland Herwig says the Skystar Kitfox 4 fixed-wing, single-engine plane was submerged about 75 yards offshore.

The Crow Wing County sheriff's office says the pilot, a 55-year-old Crosslake man, died at the scene. The passenger, a 61-year-old Crosslake man, was taken to a Crosby hospital with serious injuries. The sheriff's office was withholding their names while family members were notified.

Crow Wing County Sergeant Chad Paulson says the cause of crash remains unknown. The FAA will investigate.

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