It happened in an instant. One minute, a high-performance Socata TBM 700 was on its final approach to the Anoka County-Blaine Airport, and the next, it was nose-diving into a quiet suburban neighborhood. On March 29, 2025, the Terry Dolan plane crash became a tragic reality that rocked the Twin Cities community.
Terry Dolan wasn't just some guy behind the controls. He was a powerhouse executive—the vice chair and chief administration officer at U.S. Bank. He was a father, a grandfather, and a man who spent his Saturdays wandering hardware store aisles or singing Irish folk songs at family gatherings. Honestly, the contrast between his high-stakes corporate life and his "regular guy" hobbies is what makes this loss hit so hard for the people who knew him.
The crash occurred in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, just a few miles short of the runway. When the plane hit the house near the intersection of Noble Parkway and 95th Avenue, it didn't just stop. It ignited. A massive fire gutted the home and took the life of the only person on board.
The Final Minutes of Flight N700ED
Terry was flying home from Naples, Florida. He’d made a quick stop in Des Moines, Iowa, before beginning the final leg to Minnesota. Everything seemed routine until it wasn't.
Flight data is pretty chilling when you look at the raw numbers. Around 12:18 p.m., Dolan checked in with the tower. He was cleared to land on Runway 9. The weather wasn't great, but it wasn't exactly a hurricane either. We're talking overcast skies at 900 feet and temperatures hovering right around 37 degrees.
Then, the data shows a sudden, sharp left turn.
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The plane was at about 2,500 feet when it started a rapid descent. A doorbell camera nearby caught the whole thing on video. It’s the kind of footage you wish you hadn't seen—the TBM 700 in a near-vertical, rotating dive. Basically, the plane just fell out of the sky.
Icing or Pilot Error?
A lot of people have been asking what caused a seasoned pilot like Dolan to lose control. Investigators from the NTSB are looking at two big factors right now:
- Structural Icing: At 3,000 feet, the humidity was 93% and the temp was near freezing. That is prime territory for ice to build up on the wings. Even though the TBM 700 is certified for flight into known icing, if the buildup is fast enough, it changes the shape of the wing and kills lift.
- The "Torque Roll" Effect: There’s a known issue with these specific turboprops. If the plane gets too slow—what pilots call being "behind the power curve"—and the pilot suddenly jams the throttle forward, the massive torque from that engine can actually flip the plane over.
The ADS-B data showed his groundspeed dropping from 87 knots down to 77 knots right before the dive. For a plane like that, 77 knots is dangerously slow.
The Impact on the Ground
Ken Tobacman was inside his home when the world literally came crashing down. He heard a "big boom" and managed to scramble out of the house just as it was being swallowed by flames. It’s a miracle no one on the ground was killed.
The house was a total loss.
Community members have since stepped up with a GoFundMe for the displaced homeowners, but for the Dolan family, the cost was far higher. Terry was 63. He had spent 25 years at U.S. Bank, but his siblings say he lived simply. He loved red licorice and Mountain Dew. He was the tenth of 13 children from a farm in Milroy, Minnesota. You’ve got to feel for a family that large losing one of their own in such a public, violent way.
Why This Specific Crash Matters
You might see "Terry Dolan" and think of the 1980s political activist who founded NCPAC. That’s a different Terry Dolan. This Terry Dolan was a pillar of the modern Minnesota business and philanthropic world. He sat on the boards of Catholic Charities and the Minneapolis Foundation.
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He wasn't a "hobbyist" pilot who just started yesterday; he'd been licensed since 2008 and was instrument-rated. This means he was trained to fly using only his cockpit displays.
What We Know So Far (The Facts)
The NTSB preliminary report confirmed there was a 50-60% chance of icing at the time of the accident. The main wreckage was found in the basement of the home. Investigators are currently sifting through:
- Maintenance records for the Socata TBM 700.
- Air traffic control recordings (the "low altitude alert" was issued seconds before impact).
- Dolan’s recent flight history to see if fatigue played a role.
The final report won't be out for a year or two. That’s just how these things go. They have to test every component of the engine and look at every line of code in the avionics.
Lessons for the Aviation Community
If there is any takeaway from the Terry Dolan plane crash, it’s the reminder that winter flying in the Midwest is unforgiving. Even with a multi-million dollar aircraft and years of experience, things can go south in seconds.
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For pilots, this is a sobering case study in approach speeds and icing management. For the rest of us, it’s a reminder of how quickly a life of service and family can be cut short. Terry Dolan left a massive hole in the Twin Cities, from the boardrooms of U.S. Bank to the volunteer lines at the Dorothy Day Center.
Next Steps for Following the Investigation:
- Monitor the NTSB Case File: Keep an eye on the official NTSB accident database under the tail number N700ED for the factual report release.
- Support the Displaced: If you’re local to Brooklyn Park, check community boards for updates on the homeowners affected by the crash.
- Review Cold-Weather Flight Safety: If you are a pilot, revisit the AOPA safety videos on TBM-specific stall characteristics and icing escape maneuvers.