Preliminary report on fatal plane crash in Yankton County released

IRENE, SD (KTIV) – A plane crash in southeastern South Dakota in July killed the pilot. We are now receiving more information about the crash.

On July 31, authorities said 67-year-old Charles Lawrence Schneider of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, died when a small plane crashed into a bean field in rural Yankton County.

The plane landed in a field near the intersection of 449th Avenue and 298th Street, several miles southwest of the town of Irene.

Few details about the crash were released at the time, but the National Transportation Safety Board has since released a preliminary investigation report.

According to this report, Schneider flew his plane from an airport in Sioux Falls to an airport in Yankton so that maintenance could be performed on it.

According to the report, the plane took off from Sioux Falls at about 7:01 a.m. and flew southwest toward Yankton. At about 7:18 a.m., authorities said, the plane began descending and continued until it hit the field.

According to authorities, a fire broke out after the crash, destroying the cockpit and most of the front fuselage.

Broken branches were also found near the crash site. Authorities say there is evidence that the right wing, which was severed from the plane, struck a tree.

According to the report, no abnormalities were found in the engine that would prevent normal operation.

In addition, the report states that all but one of the flight control cables from the respective control surfaces to the cockpit remained connected. Authorities say this single break is consistent with overload damage.

All this information is preliminary and is subject to change depending on further findings of the investigation.

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