A twin-engine airplane, flown by my former employer Alvin Bipes of A.B.Flight Services, crashed into the Minnesota River on April Fool’s Day near the intersection of River Road and Flying Cloud Drive. However, this was no April Fool’s joke!
"They took off normal and when they got up maybe 50 feet, that's when it suddenly went down, like he lost complete power," said witness Wallace Check.
Al Bipes and his best friend Tim Jacobsen were on their way to New Richmond, WI where they were to drop off the plane and drive back to Minnetonka.
Their small plane, a Beech Travelair that Al was borrowing form a friend, crashed just 500 feet from the runway and luckily into the water, which is there as result of seasonal flooding, thus buffering the landing.
Emergency workers pulled out Al and Tim, both conscious and alert, and sent them to Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis to treat some serious but not life-threatening injuries. Al suffered a broken back, ribs, facial bones, along with facial lacerations. The same goes for Tim, minus the broken back.
Having spent two years working for Al as his Business Development Coordiantor/Travel Manager, I personally have flown with Al many times. I can say with confidence and pride that he is a damn good pilot and his skills saved both the life of his best friend Tim, and his own. I would gladly fly with Al any day before any other local pilots out there.
God was certainly watching out for you that day Al, but good job on the flying too. God Speed!
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