DUBUQUE, Iowa, Oct. 14 (UPI) -- Dr. Doug Butzier, the Libertarian candidate for Senate in Iowa, was killed when his small plane crashed on a flight from Ankeny, Iowa, to Dubuque.

Butzier was at the controls of the Piper PA-46 and was alone in the plane, a friend said.

The 59-year-old doctor had been an emergency room physician in Dubuque for the past 17 years. He was a member of the board of Mercy Medical Center and president of the hospital's medical staff.

Butzier, an advocate of smaller government, was selected as the Libertarian candidate in Iowa. Decmocratic Rep. Bruce Braley and Joni Ernst, the Republican candidate, are involved in a contentious fight for the seat now held by Tom Harkin, a Democrat, and Butzier said few people were listening to other candidates.

The Federal Aviation Administration said the crash occurred at 11 p.m. Monday about a mile from Dubuque Regional Airport. Heavy rain was falling at the time.

"I was just sitting in there watching TV and all that I heard was an airplane going vrrrmmm -- boom! Blew up, came up and seen big ole flames on the neighbor's yard," Jeremy Becker told KCRG-TV.

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Libertarian Senate candidate in Iowa killed in plane crash