Pilot in deadly South Carolina crash has Minnesota ties

WILLMAR --The Air Force pilot who crashed his F-16 fighter jet into a private plane in South Carolina, killing its two passengers, has Minnesota ties.

Maj. Aaron Johnson of the Shaw Air Force Base's 55th Fighter Squadron is the son of the Rev. Dan Johnson, senior pastor at First Covenant Church in Willmar.

He graduated from high school in California and enrolled at the Air Force Academy three years before the family moved to Willmar.

The planes collided in midair at around 11 a.m. Tuesday in Moncks Corner, S.C., about 11 miles north of Charleston.

The victims  have been identified as father Michael Johnson, 68, and son Joseph Johnson, 30, who was piloting the Cessna C-150 plane, according to Reuters.

Aaron Johnson safely ejected from the plane and was taken to Joint Base Charleston for a health assessment, according to a Shaw Air Force Base news release.

Dan Johnson confirmed as much, saying that he has talked with his son who is "fine."

"That's all I can say is that he's in good shape," he said. "We're very grateful, just thankful that he made it out."

Aaron Johnson was flying a routine training mission from the air base to Charleston and back, according to the Reuters report.

"Obviously we can only say so much at this point," Dan Johnson said. "We as his parents don't know that much. We're taking into account the personal part of it, and our concern is for him and his family as well as the other family who was affected by the crash."

The Shaw Air Force Base news release stated that a team of investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board will convene to determine the cause of the crash.

Reuters reported that Aaron Johnson is expected to quickly return to the base and could resume flying next week.

Aaron's younger brother, Nate, a 2011 graduate of Willmar Senior High School, is a recent graduate of the Air Force Academy. He will enter pilot training in August at Vance Air Force Base in Oklahoma.

"We're very proud of them, and this is a tough deal, but we know that they'll make it through fine," Dan Johnson said.