NTSB releases final report on fatal 2023 Cirrus crash in Duluth

DULUTH, Minn. – The National Transportation Safety Board has released its final report on a Cirrus plane crash in Duluth that killed one of the aircraft manufacturer’s longtime employees.

David Rathbun, 52, of Hermantown, was the only person aboard the 2016 SR-22 when it crashed into the frozen St. Louis River near the Bong Bridge around 4 p.m. on February 24, 2023.

Rathbun was the only person on board.

The NTSB’s final report states: “Examination of the wreckage and recorded data revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunction prior to impact.”

The report continued: “The pilot’s autopsy was limited due to the severity of the injuries and there was insufficient medical evidence to determine whether a medical condition contributed to the accident.”