A small plane crash in Minnesota on Saturday claimed the lives of a North Dakota state legislator and the pilot, because apparently the universe decided that a simple takeoff needed a dramatic twist. The Beech F33A aircraft went down just after departing from Crystal airport, north of Minneapolis, at 11:51am, crashing and catching fire in a Brooklyn Park park - proving that even parks aren't safe from aviation mishaps.
Liz Conmy, a North Dakota state representative from Fargo and a member of the Democratic - Nonpartisan League party, was among the deceased, as confirmed by her colleague state senator Tim Mathern to the Star Tribune. The party took to X to express their grief, calling Conmy a champion for public education, the environment, and transparency - a loss they described as "completely heartbroken and gutted," which is about as raw as social media mourning gets.
Brooklyn Park police inspector Matt Rabe reported that the plane crashed shortly after takeoff and declined to specify the number of people on board, though the Federal Aviation Administration confirmed two. The National Transportation Safety Board is now investigating the wreckage, because nothing says "thorough investigation" like arriving after the fire's been put out.