Sept. 18, 2025:
More information has been released on a plane crash at the Brookings Airport this month that injured three people. The single engine plane crashed minutes after take-off at 9am on Sept. 6, 2025.
In its preliminary report, the National Transportation Safety Board says the pilot reported a moderate vibration that began at about 200 to 300 feet of altitude. He heard a bang and noted a decrease in engine power and thrust. The pilot lowered the nose of the plane and began circling back toward the airport.
At one point, the pilot heard the stall horn and leveled the airplane. He realized he would not make the airport runway, and attempted to land at a grass clearing. During the hard landing, the front right seat passenger was knocked unconscious. After the plane came to a stop, it caught fire.
The pilot and a rear-seat passenger were able to remove the unconscious passenger from the wreckage. They crawled into tall, wet grass to separate themselves from the fire. The plane was destroyed by the post-impact fire that consumed most of the fuselage and a portion of both wings.
The pilot was identified as 32 year-old Evan Koep of Brookings.
The front-seat passenger was 29 year-old Hayden Kerkart, and the rear-seat passenger was 28 year-old Caden Walkes. All three men survived the crash.
The men had been headed to Bozeman, Montana.
Story courtesy of news partner KWAT radio.
Sept. 8, 2025:
Three people were injured when a small, private plane crashed Saturday morning (Sept. 6, 2025, approximately 9am) on the property of the Brookings Regional Airport.
The Beechcraft, single-engine, four-seat plane crashed approximately one-eighth of a mile from the runaway. The preliminary investigation shows that just after take-off, the plane may have experienced partial engine loss and the pilot turned the aircraft around in an attempt to return to the airport. While turning back, the aircraft may have experienced complete engine failure. According to witnesses, the aircraft nose-dived into the ground, all three occupants got out and the plane was quickly engulfed in flames.
The pilot, identified as 32 year old Evan Koep from Brookings, sustained contusions, abrasions and burns. He was later airlifted to a Sioux Falls hospital for further treatment.
The front-seat passenger, 29 year old Hayden Kerkart, sustained contusions, abrasions and burns. Kerkart was also later airlifted to a Sioux Falls hospital.
The rear-seat passenger, 28 year old Caden Walkes, sustained minor contusions and abrasions and is being treated at Brookings Hospital.
The incident will be investigated by personnel from the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration.
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