A private
plane crashed upon landing at an airport in Aspen, Colo., on Sunday,
eyewitnesses and aviation officials said.
Emergency
crews at Aspen-Pitkin County Airport responded to the plane following
the crash, which occurred shortly after noon local time. According to the
Pitkin County Sheriff's Department, one person was killed and two were injured
— one severely — in the crash. The victims were not immediately identified.
According
to the Federal Aviation Administration, the plane, a Bombardier Challenger 600,
was en route to Aspen from Tucson. According to public flight data, a 22-seat private
Challenger model plane — owned by a Bank of Utah trustee — took off from Tucson
International Airport shortly after 10 a.m. and was due to land in Aspen at
12:11 p.m. MST. Earlier Sunday, the same plane flew
from Toluca, Mexico, to Tucson before flying to Aspen.
There were
reports of 30 mph wind gusts in Aspen around the time of the crash, according
to the National Weather Service. Temperatures were between zero and minus-10
degrees. Video taken just after the crash near the tarmac appeared
to show strong winds and deteorating weather conditions.
The
National Transportation Safety Board in Washington, D.C., said it was sending a
team to Aspen to investigate the crash. All remaining flights in and out of the
airport were cancelled Sunday.
In a photo
taken by a passenger on a different plane, the plane that crashed could be seen
upside down in the snow. In another, dark smoke could be seen billowing from
the wreckage.
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