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Dedham man injured in small plane crash in Wisconsin

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Dedham man injured in small plane crash in Wisconsin
Two people, including a man from Dedham, were injured when a small plane crashed Wednesday afternoon in Wisconsin, a sheriff's office lieutenant said.The small plane went down near the intersection of Esterbrook Road and Grove Street, southwest of the Fond du Lac County Airport, around 12:15 p.m.The aircraft, registered to Oshkosh-based Sonex Aircraft, was being used for training. The pilot was an instructor and was going through takeoffs and landings with the passenger, Lt. Ryan Waldschmidt said.The pilot, 73-year-old Thomas Helm, of Neenah, experienced engine failure shortly after one takeoff. Helm tried to return to the airport but lost altitude and struck a power line before crashing into the edge of a farm field, Waldschmidt said.Helm was taken to St. Agnes Hospital in Fond du Lac and the passenger, 60-year-old David Plathe, of Dedham, Massachusetts, was flown by a medical helicopter to ThedaCare Regional Medical Center in Neenah.The investigation into the crash is being conducted by the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board.The crash was the second in a week near the airport. Two men were injured July 28 when a single-engine aircraft went down on the northwest corner of the airport property. 

Two people, including a man from Dedham, were injured when a small plane crashed Wednesday afternoon in Wisconsin, a sheriff's office lieutenant said.

The small plane went down near the intersection of Esterbrook Road and Grove Street, southwest of the Fond du Lac County Airport, around 12:15 p.m.

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The aircraft, registered to Oshkosh-based Sonex Aircraft, was being used for training. The pilot was an instructor and was going through takeoffs and landings with the passenger, Lt. Ryan Waldschmidt said.

The pilot, 73-year-old Thomas Helm, of Neenah, experienced engine failure shortly after one takeoff. Helm tried to return to the airport but lost altitude and struck a power line before crashing into the edge of a farm field, Waldschmidt said.

Helm was taken to St. Agnes Hospital in Fond du Lac and the passenger, 60-year-old David Plathe, of Dedham, Massachusetts, was flown by a medical helicopter to ThedaCare Regional Medical Center in Neenah.

The investigation into the crash is being conducted by the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board.

The crash was the second in a week near the airport. Two men were injured July 28 when a single-engine aircraft went down on the northwest corner of the airport property.