Pilot Walks Away from Fiery Plane Crash at Luce Co. Airport - Northern Michigan's News Leader

Pilot Walks Away from Fiery Small Plane Crash at Luce Co. Airport

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By John McGowan, Anchor - email

A pilot walked away with a few burns and his life in Luce County Sunday afternoon, when his single engine plane apparently caught fire.

State police say it happened around 2:15, when the pilot tried to return to Luce County Airport in Newberry after smelling smoke in his cockpit.

When State Police arrived, they found 61 year old Dean Minett of Newberry walking away from his aircraft at the west end of the runway.

At that point it was engulfed in flames.

He told troopers he was the only one aboard, and that he crashed when smoke began to fill his cockpit.

Minett was taken to Helen Joy Newberry Hospital for treatment of burns to his arms and legs.

The plane was owned by the D.N.R. And was being flown for aerial fire assistance.

It's a total loss.

The F.A.A. And the N.T.S.B. Are investigating the crash.