NTSB Releases Final Report On Fatal 2023 Cirrus Crash In Duluth

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

David Rathbun

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

Rathbun was the only person on board.

The NTSB’s final report said, “Examination of the wreckage and recorded data did not reveal evidence of any pre-impact mechanical malfunctions.”

The report went on to say, “The pilot’s autopsy was limited by the severity of injuries, and insufficient medical evidence was available to determine whether a medical condition contributed to the accident.”