Two Survive After Small Plane Crashes in Colorado Creek During Emergency Highway Landing

In a gripping incident on a calm Sunday morning, a small plane met with an unexpected challenge, resulting in a crash into a Colorado creek. Despite the dire circumstances, both individuals on board, a pilot and a passenger, emerged alive but had to be hospitalized following their harrowing ordeal.

The incident unfolded just east of Larkspur, Colorado, shortly before 8 a.m. on June 16. Responding to the scene were multiple agencies, coordinated by the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office. The aircraft, identified as a twin-engine Tecnam P2006T, initially sought an emergency landing on the highway. Tragically, it struck a sign on Interstate 25, veering off to the east, and ultimately crashing. Its final resting place was upside down in the thick brush of the East Plum Creek drainage, as reported by CBS affiliate KCNC-TV.

Rescue efforts were immediate and challenging. Emergency personnel braved waist-deep water to reach and rescue the two victims, who were then swiftly taken to a nearby hospital for treatment, courtesy of the DCSO.

Further complicating the situation was a fuel leak from the aircraft. Roughly 30-40 gallons of unleaded fuel spilled into the environment, necessitating a quick response from the Colorado State Patrol’s HAZMAT unit, tasked with cleaning up the spilled fuel, as stated by KCNC.

The Denver Gazette revealed that the plane had departed from Centennial Airport in Englewood around 7:35 a.m. on the same day. Shortly after takeoff, tower controllers lost communication with the aircraft. Fellow pilots in the vicinity were then relied upon to pinpoint the troubled plane’s location.

Eyewitnesses on Interstate 25 managed to capture the crash on their cell phones. Before the emergency teams arrived, a good Samaritan jumped into action, freeing the pilot and passenger from their precarious situation, as reported by the Denver Gazette.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are now closely examining the details of the accident. This crash marks the second such incident in the Denver area in less than two weeks, adding a somber note to local aviation records.

On an unfortunate note relating to the first incident on Friday, June 7, an airplane crash occurred in Arvada, about 50 miles south of the June 16th crash site. That preceding incident involved an aircraft carrying four individuals, including two children, all eagerly anticipating a routine flight. Sadly, Melissa Brinkmann, a mother of three and a former U.S. Air Force captain from Parker, Colorado, succumbed to her injuries the following day. The Arvada Press shared her story, adding a personal dimension to the statistical reports of aviation mishaps.