Los Angeles, February 14 – At least three people were killed in a plane crash in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, according to a preliminary report from the Federal Aviation Administration.
The US National Transportation Safety Board said on X that it is investigating the crash of an Epic Aircraft E1000, a single-engine, six-seat turboprop light aircraft, Xinhua news agency reported.
The aircraft crashed on Friday near Emerald Mountain at approximately 12:20 a.m. local time under unknown circumstances, local media reported.
Routt County Sheriff Doug Sherar said that the coroner was working to identify the victims and notify their next of kin.
Earlier, seven people were killed after a small jet crashed at a regional airport in Statesville, North Carolina, police said.
According to police, among those killed in the crash were former NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing) driver Greg Biffle, his wife, and two children.
The Cessna C550 jet crashed on Thursday, at around 10:20 a.m. Eastern Time while landing at the airport, triggering a large fire, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said.
According to flight-tracking website FlightAware, the plane took off from the airport shortly after 10 a.m. but then returned and attempted to land there.
Video footage showed first responders rushing onto the runway as scattered wreckage from the plane was engulfed in fire.
John Ferguson, Statesville Regional Airport manager, told reporters that the FAA was taking over the crash scene. "The airport is now closed until further notice. It will take some time to clear the debris from the runway and make it safe again," he said.
