Midair plane crash kills one person near Colorado airport as both planes catch fire

One person was killed, and three others were injured after two planes collided midair near the Fort Morgan Municipal Airport in Colorado on Sunday, law enforcement officials said.

The Morgan County Sheriff’s Office said deputies and emergency personnel rushed to the scene after receiving a report of a plane crash at about 10:45 a.m. When they arrived, they discovered that two aircraft had gone down in fields just outside the airport.

A preliminary investigation found that a small Cessna was on final approach to the runway when it was struck midair by a second aircraft. Witnesses reported seeing the two planes clip each other before plummeting to the ground.

Both planes caught fire when they hit the ground, according to the sheriff’s office. Plumes of smoke could be seen rising from the wreckage as first responders and bystanders tried to douse the fires.

“We extend our deepest condolences to the family and friends of the victim in this tragic event,” the sheriff’s office said in a Facebook post. “This is an active investigation and the names of the parties involved are not being released at this time.”

The sheriff’s office also thanked citizens who tried to put out the flames before firefighters and other first responders arrived.