Two injured in plane crash at Shakopee park

Two people were injured when a small plane crashed in a Shakopee park Friday afternoon.

City officials said the crash happened about 12:30 p.m. at Scenic Heights Park. Two people aboard the aircraft were taken to HCMC in Minneapolis, but their names and conditions weren’t immediately available.

“Thankfully, the crash happened far away from the playground and the fitness court and the amenities of the park,” so no one else was injured, said Amanda McKnight, a Shakopee spokesperson.

The plane is a twin-engine Piper PA-44-180 that was manufactured in 1978 and is owned by Thunderbird Aircraft Co., based in Bloomington, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

Thunderbird is one of the Midwest’s oldest commercial aviation operations and provides pilot training, aircraft rentals and corporate charter services, according to its website. Representatives with the company did not immediately return requests for comment Friday.

The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are investigating what caused the plane to crash. In a statement, NTSB officials said that the plane crashed “under unknown circumstances,” and the wreckage will be taken offsite for further investigation. The FAA said its preliminary report should be available in the coming days.

Staff writer Elliot Hughes contributed to this story.