3 dead, 1 injured in SE Minn. plane crash

CALEDONIA, Minn. (AP) _ A small plane crashed into a field in southeastern Minnesota on Friday, killing three people and critically injuring a fourth, authorities said. A farmer reported a possible plane in the field to Sheriff Doug Ely at about 4:30 p.m., the Houston County sheriff's office said.

Three deaths are confirmed, the sheriff's office said. The injured person was airlifted to a hospital in La Crosse, Wis.

Houston County Airport Manager Brian Pogodzinski told The Associated Press the plane did not crash on airport property.

The airport is unmanned and has no control tower, and pilots do not have to file a flight plan with the county, Pogodzinski said. He said the weather was good Friday.

No additional details were immediately available.

The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate.

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