FORT MORGAN, Colo. — A tragic mid-air collision between two small planes on Sunday resulted in one fatality and three injuries as both aircraft attempted to land at Fort Morgan Municipal Airport.
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According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), a Cessna 172 and an Extra Flugzeugbau EA300, each carrying two passengers, collided while on final approach. The Cessna was struck by the second plane, crashed, and caught fire.
The Morgan County Sheriff’s Office reported receiving alerts of the crash at approximately 10:44 a.m. Local deputies, Fort Morgan Police, Colorado State Patrol, Fort Morgan Fire Department, and Morgan County Ambulance all responded to the scene.
Two occupants of the Cessna sustained minor injuries and were treated at the scene, while one occupant of the second plane was hospitalized. Tragically, the fourth individual was pronounced dead at the scene by the Morgan County Coroner’s Office. The identities of those involved have not been released.
The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have launched a joint investigation to determine the cause of the collision.
In a statement, the sheriff’s office expressed condolences to the victim’s family and thanked local agencies and citizens for assisting at the scene and helping extinguish the fire until first responders arrived.
This incident underscores the inherent risks of aviation and has left the Fort Morgan community mourning the loss while awaiting answers from investigators.