Washington: Three people were killed on Saturday after two small planes collided in mid-air over Boulder County, Colorado US, authorities said.
A single-engine Cessna 172 and a Sonex Xenos collided and crashed near Vance Brand Airport in Longmont at around 8:50 am, reports cited US Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) as saying.
The NTSB confirmed, in a tweet, that it is investigating the September 17, mid-air collision of a Cessna 172 with a Sonex Xenos aircraft near Longmont, Colorado.
NTSB investigating the Sept. 17, mid-air collision of a Cessna 172 with a Sonex Xenos aircraft near Longmont, Colorado.
— NTSB Newsroom (@NTSB_Newsroom) September 17, 2022
Boulder County Sheriff’s office, in a statement, said that first responders discovered two separate crash sites.
The pilot of the second downed plane, who was the sole occupant, also was dead when emergency crews reached the wreckage, the sheriff’s office said.
“The first crashed aircraft was found in the 10,000 block of Niwot Rd on the south side. At this time there are two confirmed occupants in the aircraft, both of whom were deceased upon first responders arriving on scene,” the office said.
The second crashed aircraft was found in the 9,700 block of Niwot Rd on the north side, and the one confirmed occupant in it was also deceased before responder’s arrival, the office added.
The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the crash.
