Man Killed In Princeton Plane Crash Identified

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A man killed in a Princeton plane crash Monday has been identified.

The crash happened around 12:45 p.m. just west of the runway at the Princeton Municipal Airport, a city official said.

According to Mille Lacs County Sheriff Brent Lindgren, the initial call to police reported smoke and fire coming from the aircraft, which was 400 to 500 yards off the runway.

Lindgren said the pilot was traveling to North Dakota for a hunting trip. It's unclear if the plane took off before the crash.

The pilot, identified as 51-year-old Kevin Covlin, died of injuries suffered in the crash.

The only passenger on the plane was a dog, who survived inside of a kennel. The dog was taken to a local vet.