Kenneth James Ryan of Alexandria passed away unexpectedly on July 28th while piloting his plane in LaGrand Township, rural Alexandria. Born July 18, 1954 to Jim and Elaine Ryan, Ken grew up in Lansing, IA, on the banks of the Mississippi River. He received a BS in chemistry from Loras College and his MD from the University of Iowa Medical School. He married Heidi Brown in 1984, and the couple lived together in Iowa City before moving to Alexandria in 1991, where they raised two children.
Ken was a lifelong learner, and will be remembered for his many talents and interests. He worked as a river barge deckhand, Air Force computer technician, physician, and manufacturing automation consultant; most recently he was an Anatomy and Physiology instructor at Alexandria Technical and Community College, where he could share his love of learning and passion for teaching.
Beyond his professional life, Ken enjoyed many hobbies, including flying, reading, woodworking, skydiving, scuba diving, gardening, and plane restoration. He had a special appreciation for natural beauty and enjoyed frequent hikes and runs in Minnesota parks. Ken served the Alexandria community for a number of years on the City Planning Commission, and volunteered regularly at Butterfly Hill Nature Preschool where he could reach a new generation of students.====================
On July 28, 2018, about 1923 central daylight time, an Aeronca 7AC single-engine airplane,
N85506, impacted powerlines and terrain while maneuvering at a low altitude near Alexandria,
Minnesota. The pilot was fatally injured, and the airplane was substantially damaged. The airplane
was registered to a private individual and operated by the private pilot under the provisions of
Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 as a personal flight. Day visual
meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The local area flight departed
Chandler Field Airport (AXN), Alexandria, Minnesota, about 1918.
There were multiple witnesses who saw and/or heard the airplane flying at low altitude before the
accident. Two witnesses reported that the airplane had approached their cabin on the north shore of
Lake Latoka from the northeast and overflew their cabin at treetop level, which they estimated to
be about 50 ft above the ground. One witness stated that the airplane had "barely cleared the
trees" when the airplane overflew his cabin. The witnesses reported that the airplane then
descended below treetop level while flying south over Lake Latoka. The witnesses stated that they
observed the airplane complete at least two low passes over a house located at the southwest side
of the lake.
Another witness, who acknowledged being a friend of the pilot, owned the house located on the
southwest side of Lake Latoka. The witness was inside his house eating dinner when he heard an
airplane overfly his house. He reported that it was common for the pilot to overfly his house at a
low altitude. The witness stated that the airplane's engine sounded normal when it overflew his
house. He noted that he had a "very bad feeling" that the airplane had crashed when his house
lights flickered shortly after the airplane overflew his house. The accident site was located about
a mile north-northwest of his house.
Three additional witnesses reported seeing the airplane approach their position, about 1/4 mile
northeast of the accident site, at a low altitude and slow airspeed. These witnesses reported that
the airplane was flying toward the northwest when it descended behind a small ridge and collided
with powerlines. Two of the witnesses reported that they couldn't hear the engine as the airplane
approached their position; however, they noted they had music playing at the time. The witnesses
reported that they heard an audible "thud" when the airplane impacted the
ground.
The accident site was located in a grass drainage ditch northwest of the intersection of Townhall
Road and 10th Avenue SW. There were multiple powerlines and a fractured power pole strung across
the road on a northwest heading. The main wreckage, which consisted of the entire airplane, was
found inverted in the drainage ditch facing south. There was no evidence of an inflight or
postimpact fire. Flight control cable continuity was established from each flight control surface
to its respective cockpit control. Both main landing gear oleo-struts and the propeller exhibited
damage consistent with an inflight wire impact. There was no evidence of a wire strike on either
wing or the empennage. The recording tachometer indicated 2,665.72 hours. The forward seat throttle
was positioned about 3/4 full travel. The airplane was not equipped with a mixture control. The
primer control was IN and secured. The magneto switch was on BOTH. The carburetor heat control was
OFF. The cabin heat control was OFF. The airplane was not equipped with an electric master switch,
but the single 10 ampere circuit breaker was not tripped. The single communication radio was
selected to the common traffic advisory frequency (123.0 megahertz). The airplane was not equipped
with a transponder. The fuel shutoff valve was ON. Fuel was recovered from the main/header tank and
both right and left auxiliary wing tanks. The fuel samples were blue in color and had an odor
consistent with 100 low-lead aviation fuel. The fuel caps were installed and secured on all fuel
tanks. The fuel selectors for the auxiliary wing tanks were in the OFF position. A functional test
of the fuel shutoff valve did not reveal any anomalies and confirmed fuel flow from the main/header
tank. The fuselage mounted gascolator had shattered during impact and fuel was observed flowing
from the fuel supply line. The postaccident examination did not reveal any anomalies that would
have precluded normal airplane operation during the flight.
The engine remained attached to the firewall. The propeller remained attached to the propeller
flange. One propeller blade was bent aft about midspan and exhibited chordwise scratching and
leading-edge gouging that was consistent with an inflight wire strike. The other propeller blade
exhibited a slight aft bend, a single leading-edge gouge, and minor chordwise scratching near the
blade tip. Internal engine and valve train continuity were confirmed as the propeller was rotated.
Compression and suction were noted on all cylinders in conjunction with crankshaft rotation, and
acceptable cylinder pressures were measured using a differential pressure gauge. The induction
manifold and intake pipes exhibited signatures of normal operation, with no excessive fuel staining
observed. The upper spark plugs were removed and exhibited features consistent with normal engine
operation. A borescope inspection of each cylinder did not reveal any anomalies with the cylinders,
pistons, valves, valve seats, or lower spark plugs. The right magneto attached to its installation
point and provided spark on all posts while the crankshaft was rotated. The left magneto remained
attached to the engine; however, the impulse coupling did not function as the crankshaft was
rotated. The left magneto was removed and provided a spark on all posts when rotated by hand. Right
magneto-to- engine timing was confirmed to be at top-dead-center on the number 1 cylinder. A full
teardown of the engine did not reveal any internal component failures. Adequate lubrication oil was
observed throughout the engine and there was no evidence of oil starvation or excessive heat.
No metal material was observed after a magnet was passed through the engine sump. The oil filter
tube pickup and oil filter screen were free of metallic material. Throttle control cable continuity
was confirmed from the cockpit to the carburetor throttle arm. The carburetor mixture arm was
safety-wired in the full rich position. The carburetor bowl contained about 1/2 fluid ounce of
fuel; however, the airplane had been inverted for nearly 24 hours before being recovered.
The carburetor bowl did not contain evidence of water or particulate contamination. Disassembly of the carburetor did not reveal any anomalies with the single- piece venturi, metal floats, or needle valve. The post-accident examination did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal engine operation during the flight.
According to FAA records, the 64-year-old pilot held a private pilot certificate with single-
engine land airplane, single-engine sea airplane, and instrument airplane ratings. His most recent
FAA third-class medical certificate was issued on October 28, 2016, with a limitation for
corrective lenses. A search of FAA records showed no previous accidents, incidents, or enforcement
proceedings. A pilot logbook was not recovered during the on-scene investigation.
The 1946-model-year airplane, serial number 7AC-4246, was a high-wing monoplane of fabric- covered
steel tube and wood construction. The airplane was powered by a 90-horsepower, 4- cylinder,
Continental C90-8F reciprocating engine, serial number 47229-9-8. The engine provided thrust
through a fixed-pitch, two-blade, Sensenich 76AK-2-43 propeller, serial number 23704. The two-seat
airplane was equipped with a fixed conventional landing gear.
The airplane had a maximum allowable takeoff weight of 1,300 pounds. According to maintenance
documentation, the last annual inspection was completed on June 28, 2018, at 5,980 total airframe
hours. The airplane had accumulated 11.72 hours since the last annual inspection. The airframe had
accumulated a total service time of 5,991.72 hours when the accident occurred. The engine had
accumulated 791.72 hours since being overhauled on January 17, 1978. A postaccident review of the
maintenance records found no history of unresolved airworthiness issues.
A postaccident review of available meteorological data established that day visual meteorological
conditions prevailed at the accident site. The nearest aviation weather reporting station was
located at Chandler Field Airport (AXN) about 3 miles southeast of the accident site. At 1853,
about 30 minutes before the accident, the AXN automated surface observing system reported: wind
350° at 4 knots, 10 miles surface visibility, a clear sky, temperature
26°C, dew point 12°C, and an altimeter setting 30.13 inches of mercury.