Pilot dies in single-engine air tanker crash in Colorado

ESTES PARK, Colo. — A aviator died Tuesday erstwhile a single-engine aerial tanker crashed southbound of Estes Park, Colorado, adjacent the country wherever the Kruger Rock Fire is burning.

The Larimer County Sheriff’s Office confirmed it archetypal received reports of the level clang astatine 6:47 p.m. MT adjacent Hermit Park, which is astir 4.5 miles from downtown Estes Park. hunt teams located the clang tract adjacent the southbound extremity of Hermit Park astatine astir 9:49 p.m.

The sheriff's bureau confirmed the aviator was the lone occupant of the plane. The aviator has not been identified, but the AT802 Air Tractor was owned by the backstage institution CO Fire Aviation.

A KMGH unit spotted a level flying adjacent the occurrence soon aft 6 p.m. and ABC News confirmed the process fig connected the level matched the process fig of the single-engine aerial tanker that went down.

FlightAware, an craft tracking website, showed a single-engine aerial tanker that near Northern Colorado Regional Airport successful Loveland astir 6:15 p.m. and was past tracked successful the Hermit Park country astir 6:30 p.m. Wind gusts astatine the clip were 40 to 50 mph.

A spokesperson for the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center besides confirmed Larimer County Search and Rescue reached retired for assistance uncovering the plane. It requested a azygous rotor chopper astatine archetypal airy oregon sooner. Civil Air Patrol was besides helping. It's unclear if they'll inactive beryllium assisting present that the level has been located.

ABC News has besides learned the single-engine aerial tanker is flown by a backstage institution typically contracted done the state. However, it was reportedly flying for Larimer County connected Tuesday.

Conor Cahill, a spokesperson for Gov. Jared Polis' office, released the pursuing statement: "Our prayers are with the pilot, their family, their aviation household and the firefighting community."

Rep. Joe Neguse besides released a statement: "Keeping the brave aviator and his household successful my thoughts and prayers — and each of the brave archetypal responders and firefighters protecting Estes Park and our full community."

The probe into the clang volition beryllium led by the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board.

This communicative was primitively published by Blayke Roznowski astatine KMGH.