Aspen plane crash: One dead and two injured

 

Agency
Sunday 05 January 2014 22:49 GMT
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Emergency crews work near a passenger plane that crashed upon landing at the Aspen-Pitkin County Airport in Aspen, Colorado
Emergency crews work near a passenger plane that crashed upon landing at the Aspen-Pitkin County Airport in Aspen, Colorado

One person has died and two people were injured, one severely, when a plane crashed at Aspen airport, police in Colorado have confirmed.

Officials said the flight originated in Mexico and all three aboard were Mexican men.

Alex Burchetta, director of operations for the Pitkin County Sheriff's Office, identified the man who died as Sergio Carranza Brabata of Mexico. He did not release the names of the two injured, and he did not know where in Mexico Brabata lived.

Burchetta said the plane went off the right side of the runway, flipped over and burst into flames.

"The injuries were traumatic in nature, but they were not thermal," he said. "So the fire never reached inside the cabin as far as we can tell."

Ginny Dyche, a spokeswoman for Aspen Valley Hospital, said the facility received two patients who were involved in the crash. She later said one patient in fair condition and another in critical condition were transferred elsewhere.

Peter Knudson, a spokesman for the National Transportation Safety Board, confirmed the plane was a Canadair CL-600, a midsized private jet. The aircraft is registered to the Bank of Utah in Salt Lake City, according to Federal Aviation Administration records. Bank officials did not immediately respond to phone and email messages seeking comment.

Allen Kenitzer, an FAA spokesman, said the plane was headed from Tucson, Ariz., and crashed upon landing. Officials said the crash happened at 12:22 p.m. MST.

A plane with the same tail number took off at 6 a.m. MST from the airport in Toluca, a city 35 miles west of Mexico City, before stopping in Tucson, according to a Mexican federal official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the press.

The official said the passengers aboard were three Mexican men: the pilot, co-pilot and a passenger. He declined to release their names, citing security reasons.

Tucson International Airport officials didn't immediately have more information. Attempts to reach airport officials in Colorado were not immediately successful.

The crash prompted Twitter responses from two celebrity witnesses, who confirmed to The Associated Press that they sent the tweets.

Country singer LeAnn Rimes Cibrian tweeted via @leannrimes on Sunday: "So sad! Horrible plane crash we just saw happen at the Aspen airport."

Comedian Kevin Nealon sent a series of tweets about the crash through @kevin—nealon.

His first one said, "Horrible plane crash here at Aspen airport. Exploded into flames as it was landing. I think it was a private jet." Later he tweeted, "Airport is closed now. I think I'll drive back to LA after seeing that."

Aspen is located in the Rocky Mountains about 100 miles southwest of Denver.

AP

Video: Plane crash in Colorado

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