LONGMONT, Colo. — At least two people have been killed after two small planes crashed north of Denver near Longmont in a possible midair collision, authorities said Friday.
Longmont police Cmdr. Tim Lewis said Friday’s crashes occurred within five minutes of each other and about six miles apart, but he didn’t know whether the planes had collided. Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Mike Fergus said the crashes were being investigated as a possible midair collision.
One plane went down near a small airport in the city, and the other crashed about a halfmile from a Wal-Mart southeast of Longmont.
Two people died in the plane that crashed near Wal-Mart, said Gracie Marquez, deputy coroner for Weld County. Their names weren’t immediately released. Marquez did not know whether anyone else was on that plane.
Dustin Nelson, who was working for an oil field services company nearby, said he and other workers called 911 and rushed to the scene.
“Everything was crumpled into each other. It just looked like a smashed beer can,” said Nelson, 25.
“It was just a big mangled mess. The tail end is literally in the nose of the plane.”
Lewis said the pilot of the other plane, which crashed near Vance Brand Airport, avoided onlookers.
“The pilot did an excellent job of clearing the roadway and avoiding people who were picnicking and watching airport operations,” he said.
Front Section, Pages 4 on 03/24/2012