What happened
On March 29, 2025, a Socata TBM700A, registration N721MB, crashed near Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, resulting in 1 fatal injury.
The flight originated at Naples Municipal Airport (APF) in Florida, proceeding to Des Moines International Airport (DSM) in Iowa, where the aircraft was refueled to capacity. The final leg of the flight was from DSM to Anoka County/Blaine Airport (ANE) in Minnesota.
While inbound for an RNAV runway 9 instrument approach at ANE, the pilot contacted the tower, confirmed current weather information, and received landing clearance. Approximately four minutes later, the controller issued a low-altitude alert, but the pilot did not respond. A subsequent contact attempt three minutes later also went unanswered.
ADS-B data indicates that at approximately 12:20, while 6 nautical miles from the runway threshold, the aircraft began a descent from 3,000 feet mean sea level. At 5 nautical miles from the threshold, the aircraft's airspeed and descent rate increased rapidly while the plane entered a left turn. Video from a nearby doorbell camera showed the aircraft in a steep, nose-down descent, rotating about its longitudinal axis. The aircraft struck trees before impacting a residential home, where a post-impact fire destroyed both the aircraft and the structure.
Weather conditions at the time included an overcast ceiling of 900 feet, visibility of 10 miles, and active moderate icing and instrument flight rule (IFR) conditions. An icing probability chart indicated a 50-60% chance of icing at 3,000 feet msl in the area.
The investigation
Investigators located the main wreckage in the basement of the impacted home. Broken tree limbs near the wreckage showed angular cuts consistent with propeller strikes, and fragments of the left wing were found in nearby trees and on the ground.
An examination of the airframe and engine revealed no mechanical anomalies. All damage observed was consistent with impact forces and the subsequent fire. Investigators established flight control continuity from the cockpit to the center fuselage and wing spars, noting that the control systems were fragmented outboard of the wing roots and aft of the wing spar due to impact forces.