Two Killed in Colorado Crash

Investigators probing cause of light sport aircraft accident east of Erie Airport runway.

Erie Colorado plane crash
[Credit: Erie Police Department]
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Key Takeaways:

  • A single-engine aircraft crashed near Erie Municipal Airport in Colorado, killing both occupants on Sunday afternoon.
  • The two individuals onboard were not Colorado residents, and there were no survivors.
  • The aircraft, a JMB Aircraft VL-3 registered to a Florida company, appeared to be performing pattern work prior to the crash.
  • The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are currently investigating the accident, and the airport was closed.
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Two people were killed Sunday afternoon when a single engine aircraft crashed just east of the runway at Erie Municipal Airport in Colorado. Emergency crews from Mountain View Fire Rescue and Erie police responded to the scene shortly after 4 p.m, where the aircraft came to rest in a clearing surrounded by homes. 

The single-engine JMB Aircraft VL-3 was registered to a rental company from Edgewater, Florida; authorities said neither occupant was a Colorado resident. According to FAA registration data, the 2023 VL-3LSA-912 was powered by a Rotax 912ULS series engine. 

ADS-B tracking data from Flightradar24 appeared to show the aircraft performing pattern work at Erie Municipal Airport before the crash took place. Police said the airport remained closed Sunday night as investigators processed the scene.

Erie, located about 25 miles northwest of Denver, averages roughly 35,000 takeoffs and landings each year. The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are currently investigating the accident.

Matt Ryan

Matt is AVweb's lead editor. His eyes have been turned to the sky for as long as he can remember. Now a fixed-wing pilot, instructor and aviation writer, Matt also leads and teaches a high school aviation program in the Dallas area. Beyond his lifelong obsession with aviation, Matt loves to travel and has lived in Greece, Czechia and Germany for studies and for work.

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Replies: 3

  1. Avatar for Fred_G Fred_G says:

    The JMB Aircraft VL-3 is not a LSA. Not with retractable gear and a maximum cruise approaching 200 kts. Maybe under MOSAIC, but not now.

  2. You’re correct but kind of interesting that the registration calls the model: VL-3LSA-912.

  3. Avatar for rblevy rblevy says:

    Bet you AvWeb’s headline writer jumped to conclusions as nothing in the article says it was an LSA.

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