Hermantown Homeowner Speaks Out After Plane Crashes Into House

HERMANTOWN, Minn. — The man who owns the home that a plane crashed into late Saturday night is talking about the jarring tragedy after he woke up immediately to the aircraft tearing through his property.

Hermantown resident Jason Hoffman said he and his wife were both sleeping when the plane hit their home, ripping off the roof.

“I found a flashlight, and as soon as I turned the flashlight on, I realized there was no roof left on the house,” Hoffman recounted. “So that’s when we started seeing some airplane parts that were in our bedroom.”

It landed just inches away from them, and miraculously neither of them were injured. Pieces of the plane had landed all over the house, including one of the wheels tearing off and falling into their bedroom.

“Thinking about all the ‘what-ifs’ can drive you mad, so my wife and I, we just have to accept what happened and we’re fortunate,” he said.

In the midst of the chaos, the couple couldn’t evacuate because the plane took some live wires down with it around the house.

“About a minute afterwards as we were gathering ourselves, that’s when the transformer exploded behind us, and that was quite a shock because of the sparks and fire and lights and everything like that, we didn’t know if the plane had caught on fire or anything,” he said.

Hoffman said he called down to those in the plane to see if they were okay, but no one answered. He said his heart is heavy thinking about those who were killed.

“I don’t think we’ve come to grips with it just yet, it kind of comes and goes a little bit of shock,” Hoffman said. “Every time I think about the folks that passed away it’s gut-wrenching.”

Hoffman said he and his wife have lived in that house for six years, and now their home, their boat, and their truck are all expected to be total losses.

He says none of the material things matter and feels fortunate to have survived with his wife, while devastated for those who did not.

“Just need people to be respectful of the loss of life here,” Hoffman emphasized. “I was in Walmart getting clothes, the Red Cross had given us some money, and I heard people complaining about the loss of internet and I had to bite my lip pretty hard because people perished, and they’re complaining about the stupidest little things, so that was rough to hear.”

The Red Cross as well as loved ones are helping Hoffman and his wife with a temporary place to stay and other needs.

Interview courtesy of FOX9.