At least one person is dead and two others injured after a private plane crashed Sunday in Aspen, Colo., the Pitkin County Sheriff’s Office said.
The plane, which according to the Sheriff’s Office had three people on board, originated from Mexico and stopped in Tucson, Ariz., before arriving in Aspen. Co-pilot Sergio Carranza Brabata, 54, of Mexico, was killed in the crash, according to the Pitkin County Sheriff’s office.
Also read: Saul Zaentz, ‘English Patient’ Producer, Dead at 92
“The airplane appears to be a Bombardier Challenger 600, coming from Tucson to Aspen. It crashed while attempting to land,” Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Allan Kenitzer told the Aviation Safety Network,
The more seriously injured person was the pilot, whose identity was not released. The passenger with the more moderate injuries was also not identified, but was described as another pilot.
Country singer Leann Rimes and actor-comedian Kevin Nealon were among those who witnessed the crash, and both took to Twitter immediately afterward.
“Horrible plane crash here at Aspen airport. Exploded into flames as it was landing. I think it was a private jet,” Nealon wrote, adding that emergency services were there within minutes.
Also read: Hollywood’s Notable Deaths of 2014 (Photos)
“Fire trucks and other emergency vehicles still at scene. No word on survivors or who was on jet but I can’t imagine there are survivors,” Nealon tweeted
“So sad! Horrible plane crash we just saw happen at the Aspen airport,” wrote Rimes.
The temperature was 10 degrees at the airport at 12:53 p.m. on Sunday, with haze and overcast skies, according to the National Weather Service. The winds were moving to the northwest at 18 miles per hour.
The airport was closed until further notice, airport officials said a statement.