CentraCare doctor dies after plane crash near Hutchinson on Monday

A CentraCare cardiologist and member of the St. Cloud Hospital Board of Directors died after the small plane he was piloting crashed south of Hutchinson on Monday.

Dr. Richard Jolkovsky, 61, of Avon, and passenger Kyle Fiebelkorn, 24, of St. Louis Park, were seriously injured in the crash near 145th Street and Plum Avenue, south of Hutchinson. The crash was reported just after 1 p.m. Monday, according to the McLeod County Sheriff’s Office.

Jolkovsky and Fielbelkorn were taken to a local hospital with serious injuries before being flown to a Twin Cities trauma center. Fiebelkorn was hospitalized in stable condition as of Wednesday, according to the release.

Jolkovsky was a cardiologist with the CentraCare Heart and Vascular Center, as well as the medical director of clinical excellence, according to CentraCare. He began his CentraCare career in 1996 and had several roles in cardiology and with St. Cloud Hospital, including as chief of staff. At the time of his death, he was a member of the St. Cloud Hospital Board of Directors.

Jolkovsky and his wife were also supporters of CentraCare Foundation for more than 25 years, according to CentraCare.

“As a cardiologist with CentraCare Heart and Vascular Center, Dr. Jolkovsky touched the lives of patients and CentraCare staff across Central Minnesota. Our hearts go out to Rick’s wife, Merryn Jolkovsky, M.D., palliative care physician with CentraCare and the entire Jolkovsky family,” according to a statement from CentraCare.

A Federal Aviation Administration incident report said the flight crashed for unknown reasons. The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the crash.

According to FAA records, the airplane was a 1998 Cirrus SR22, a single-engine plane configured for four passengers. Cirrus is headquartered in Duluth

This article originally appeared on St. Cloud Times: CentraCare doctor dies in McLeod County plane crash Monday