Fargo\u00a0 (CSi)\u00a0 The North Dakota Highway Patrol has identified the pilot of a small plane that crashed on Thursday, December 1\u00a0 2016<\/sup> at approximately 4:30 pm,\u00a0 south of Fargo in Cass County as 55 year old Hans Ahlness.\u00a0 The crash location was approximately \u00bd mile east of I-29 MM 55, along the Wild Rice River.<\/p>\n 1st<\/sup> Responders located a single aircraft that had crashed into the trees along the Wild Rice River.\u00a0 The aircraft had broken apart, but the fuselage was engulfed in flames in the tree line.<\/p>\n The preliminary investigation identified the pilot suffered an in-flight emergency shortly after taking off from Hector Field in Fargo and was possibly trying to make an emergency landing.\u00a0 The location of the crash was east of I-29 in a plowed field that abuts the Wild Rice River.\u00a0 The crash area encompasses an area to include the plowed field and the woodlands along the Wild Rice River.<\/p>\n The pilot, Hans Ahlness, 55 year old\u00a0male, was killed in the crash.\u00a0 Mr. Ahlness was the lone occupant of the aircraft.\u00a0 The aircraft was a 1973 Cessna Model 340, tail number N123KK.<\/p>\n The crash is being investigated by the Federal Aviation Administration.\u00a0 The FAA has asked any witnesses or individuals with video to the crash to contact them at (701) 492-5800.\u00a0 Any further questions about the crash investigations should be forwarded to the FAA.<\/p>\n Agencies that assisted with the crash response were:\u00a0 NDHP, Cass County Sheriff\u2019s Office, Fargo PD, Horace FD, Kindred Ambulance and FM Ambulance.<\/p>\n Statement from NDHP:<\/p>\n Fargo (CSi-NDHP)\u00a0 <\/b>On Thursday, December 1 , 2016 at approximately 4:30 pm, first responders were dispatched to an airplane crash south of Fargo in Cass County. The crash location was approximately \u00bd mile east of I-29 MM 55, along the Wild Rice River.<\/p>\n First\u00a0Responders located a single aircraft that had crashed into the trees along the Wild Rice River. The aircraft had broken apart, but the fuselage was engulfed in flames in the tree line.<\/p>\n The preliminary investigation identified the pilot suffered an in-flight emergency shortly after taking off from Hector Field in Fargo and was possibly trying to make an emergency landing. The location of the crash was east of I-29 in a plowed field that abuts the Wild Rice River. The crash area encompasses an area to include the plowed field and the woodlands along the Wild Rice River.<\/p>\n
![\"cesna340\"](\"http:\/\/csinewsnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Cesna340.png\")
<\/a>The pilot, a 55\u00a0year old\u00a0male, was killed in the crash. The pilot was the lone occupant of the aircraft. The aircraft was a 1973 Cessna Model 340.<\/p>\n