By Katie Johnson , staff writer

A pilot flying from New Richmond, Wis. to Fulton, Mo. was found dead after his Cessna 140 airplane was discovered in a field about five miles southwest of Grand Meadow at approximately 9 a.m. Saturday.

The pilot&8217;s name was not confirmed. The plane had been missing since early Saturday, and the Minnesota Wing Civil Air Patrol had been conducting a ground search.

The pilot was scheduled to make a stop in Oskaloosa, Iowa, and did not arrive.

There were no other passengers.

According to the Associated Press, the plane last made contact with the Federal Aviation Administration&8217;s Minneapolis center at 12:50 a.m. Saturday when it was flying near Rochester.

The crash occurred about 100 yards from Josie Churchill&8217;s farm and about the same distance from a wind turbine. Debris was scattered behind the wreckage.

&8220;I head a thump about 5:30 this morning&8221; Churchill said. &8220;I thought somebody fell upstairs.&8221;

Her son, Larry Churchill, and grandson, Brian, who live down the road, went to investigate on horseback when they spotted an object in the field, which was hard to identify due to foggy conditions.

&8220;Then we saw a wing,&8221; Brian Churchhill said. &8220;My dad went out there and saw a body.&8221;

They called 911 on a cell phone.

The Grand Meadow Fire Department and Mower County Sheriff responded to the scene.

Mower County Sheriff Terese Amazi said the FAA, located in the Twin Cities metro area, was called to investigate the crash.

&8212; The Associated Press contributed to this report