Details emerged Friday about the fatal plane accident involving Jim Kowalski, founder of Kowalski’s Markets who died Thursday on a fishing trip to Canada.
A report from the Ontario Provincial Police said Kowalski “had been standing outside of the plane on the floats as the plane approached the shoreline.
“When the aircraft connected with the shore, the male lost his balance and fell into the propeller, causing significant injury,” the report continued. “The male was transported by plane to the Red Lake airport, where he died as a result of his injuries.”
An autopsy was performed Friday in Kenora, Ontario, and officials later released a statement saying “the cause of death has been deemed not suspicious.”
No cause of death was released. Under Canadian law, that information is considered private.
The accident occurred about 10:30 a.m. Thursday on Dee Dee Lake, roughly 200 miles north of the Minnesota-Ontario border.
Kowalski, 67, and a friend, a fellow pilot, were on a fishing trip to Canada. “They flew in from another lake to go fishing for the day,” Ontario Provincial Constable David Lamme said Friday.
“It’s a very isolated lake,” Lamme added. “There’s a good chance they were the only two people on that lake at that time. It’s only accessible by plane or bush road, but the easiest way in (is) flying.”
It’s Lamme’s understanding that as the float plane approached the shore, Kowalski was standing on the airplane’s float so that “you have someone ready to step off,” much as boat drivers do when they approach a dock.
Immediately after the accident, Lamme said, “The person who was with him was able to contact a local charter company, and the local charter company flew in and helped out and flew Mr. Kowalski back to Red Lake.”
When the charter flight carrying Kowalski arrived at the Red Lake airport, Lamme said, “the paramedics assessed and he was deceased at that time.”
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada and the Ontario Provincial Police are investigating.
Kowalski was flying in a Cessna 185, an amphibious model capable of landing both on land and in water. The second pilot has not been publicly identified, but the Cessna is registered to Crow Rock LLC in Stillwater.
Starting with a single store in 1983, Jim Kowalski and his wife Mary Anne became one of the Twin Cities’ most successful grocers, ultimately expanding their namesake business to nine Kowalski’s Markets across the metro area.
The Kowalski family posted a message on its Facebook account Friday:
“The Kowalski family and the entire staff would like to thank everyone for their kind words and support. This means so much to the family and everyone at Kowalski’s Markets. Jim will always be remembered and his legacy will live on in his stores and in our hearts.”
The 30-year-old business continues to be family-owned and -operated.
Tom Webb can be reached at 651-228-5428. Follow him at twitter.com/TomWebbMN.
