Two people were killed and another was injured after a Civil Air Patrol aircraft crashed during a training exercise in northern Colorado, according to local authorities.
The aircraft crashed on November 23, 2024, in a remote location in the Storm Mountain area around 11:12 local time, the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office said in an updated Facebook post published on November 24, 2024.
The aircraft, a Cessna 182 belonging to the Thompson Valley Composite Squadron, was performing a regular training flight for aerial photography.
Arriving at the site of the crash, deputies found three passengers on board. The Larimer County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that two people died in the crash and one person was severely injured.
“I’m saddened to hear of the loss of two dedicated Civil Air Patrol members, Pilot Susan Wolber and Aerial Photographer Jay Rhoten, who lost their lives in today’s crash,” Governor Jared Polis said in a statement released the same day of the crash. “These individuals, along with survivor co-pilot Randall Settergren, who was injured, served the Civil Air Patrol as volunteers who wanted to help make Colorado a better, safer place for all.”
A rescue was conducted via helicopter by the Colorado Army National Guard and the aircraft co-pilot was airlifted to a medical facility in order to receive care, Polis added.
The cause of the crash is currently unknown.
The Larimer County Sheriff’s Office will lead the investigation into the crash together with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
NTSB investigating Saturday’s crash of a Cessna 182 near Fort Collins, Colorado.
— NTSB Newsroom (@NTSB_Newsroom) November 23, 2024
“Over the coming days and weeks, we will continue to investigate the crash to provide closure for the families involved,” said Captain Bobby Moll of the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office.