At about 8:50 a.m. local time, a single-engine Cessna 172 and a second plane collided and crashed near Vance Brand Airport in Longmont, an FAA spokesperson told the Washington Post in an email.
An FAA spokesperson said two people were on board a Cessna 172. The National Transportation Safety Board said on Twitter They are investigating the collision of a Cessna 172 with an aircraft they have identified as Sonex Xenos in Longmont, Colorado.
“The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate,” an FAA spokesperson said. “The NTSB will be responsible for the investigation and will provide additional updates.”
The Cessna 172, also known as the Skyhawk, is one of the most famous aircraft in the world. It can seat four and is commonly used in flight instructions.
Mid-air collisions are rare, with fewer than 30 collisions occurring in the United States in an average year. They often involve small private planes or military boats, not commercial planes, and are usually the result of human error such as poor communication or navigation issues.
Under federal aviation regulations, private pilots are required to “see and avoid” other aircraft flying in their near space, and must follow take-off and landing procedures closely. Collisions are more likely to occur in densely populated and heavily trafficked areas.
Mountain View Fire Rescue that serves the area, Three deaths confirmed She asked people to avoid the Newt area, northeast of Boulder.
Bonafide told the Washington Post that police had closed some roads in the area.
“It’s still very early in the investigation,” Bonafide said, adding that federal investigators are “on the way.”
Pravena Somasundram contributed to this report.
