Pilot Escapes Injury After Crashing Aircraft in Northeast Iowa

The pilot escaped injury after crashing his small plane Wednesday night about 10 miles east of Decorah.

The Winneshiek County Sheriff’s Office says they received a report of a plane crash near the intersection of Old Stage Road and Glenville Road, shortly after 8:30 p.m. Wednesday. At the scene, deputies located a Kitfox ultralight single-passenger aircraft in a nearby ditch and the pilot, 43-year-old Thomas Wandling of Decorah, was uninjured.

Wandling stated to authorities that he attempted to take flight from his pasture and clipped the barbed wire fence which sent him into a power line causing him to crash the aircraft. The power line was damaged and caused a power outage for surrounding residents.  

The sheriff’s office was assisted by mienergy, Winneshiek County Ambulance, first responders, and Decorah Rescue.

The plane sustained about $6,500 damage in the crash.