Two people were killed and one was injured after a Civil Air Patrol plane crashed near Storm Mountain in Colorado.
Authorities responded to a report of a plane crash roughly 80 miles north of Denver shortly after 11 a.m. on Saturday, the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office said.
Emergency crews and deputies found three passengers on board. Two were confirmed dead while the third was transported to a local hospital with severe injuries, the sheriff’s office said.
The plane belonged to the Thompson Valley Composite Squadron of the Civil Air Patrol, a civilian auxiliary of the US Air Force. The plane, which the National Transportation Safety Board identified as a Cessna 182, was conducting a routine aerial photography training mission when the incident occurred, Colorado Civil Air Patrol confirmed.
Pilot Susan Wolber and aerial photographer Jay Rhoten lost their lives in the crash while co-pilot Randall Settergren suffered injuries, the state’s Governor Jared Polis announced Saturday.
These individuals “served the Civil Air Patrol as volunteers who wanted to help make Colorado a better, safer place for all. The State of Colorado is grateful for their commitment to service and it will not be forgotten,” the governor said.
The sheriff’s office is still working on recovery operations, which it expects will take several days “due to the extreme, rugged terrain,” authorities said. An investigation into the crash is also ongoing.
Major General Laura Clellan, the Adjutant General of Colorado of the state’s department of Military and Veterans Affairs, also issued a statement in the wake of the tragedy.
“The volunteers of Civil Air Patrol are a valuable part of the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, and the lifesaving work they do on a daily basis directly contributes to the public safety of Coloradans throughout the state,” she said. “Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with the families of those involved in the crash. I would also like to thank all of the first responders who assisted with rescue efforts.”
Colorado Civil Air Patrol missions “range from search-and-rescue of lost hikers or hunters, location of downed aircraft, and transport of emergency personnel or medical materials,” the statement said.
Loveland Fire Rescue Authority, Thompson Valley EMS, UCHealth LifeLine, Larimer County Parks Rangers, Loveland Police Department, the United States Forest Service, and the Colorado Air National Guard also assisted with the incident response.
