Officials begin investigation into Monday plane crash that killed two people as coroner releases names of deceased
Routt County Coroner Mitch Locke released the names of the two people killed Monday afternoon after the twin-engine plane they were flying in crashed into the West Acres neighborhood.
Dan Dunn, 67, and Jessica Pauline Melton, 42, took off from the Vance Brand Municipal Airport in Longmont at 3:17 p.m. Monday, according to FlightAware.
The plane was scheduled to fly to the Ogden-Hinckley Airport four miles southwest of Ogden, Utah. The flight was was diverted to the Bob Adams Field in Steamboat Springs roughly 40 minutes after takeoff due to apparent engine trouble.
Flight data shows the plane circled Bob Adams Field for roughly 25 minutes before the aircraft crashed into the neighborhood, killing both people on board.
The state’s corporate database shows Berthoud-based High Country Aero as the registered owner of the twin-engine Cessna 421, and Dunn is listed as the company’s registered agent. Both Dunn and Melton were from the Front Range.
“Our hearts go out to the families and friends of Dan and Jessica,” Steamboat Springs Police Commander Rich Brown said in a statement. “This could have been a much larger event and I want to thank all the first responders, crisis support, interpretive services and relief personnel who responded to the West Acres neighborhood.”
Mike Lane, communications manager for the city of Steamboat Springs, said officials from the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board have arrived in Steamboat Springs to begin the investigation into the crash.
They could be seen at the crash site on Tuesday examining the wreckage as a handful of neighbors watched and recalled Monday’s events.
“The FAA and NTSB are on site working with police detective Sgt. Sam Silva in conducting the investigation,” Lane said. “That immediate crash site remains closed as they will probably still be there through (Wednesday) or the next day. All residents have returned (to their homes) except for the two homes that were destroyed in the crash.”
One of the homes was unoccupied, and Lane said he believes that it was being remodeled. He said the couple living in the other home was not in the residence at the time of the crash, and he believes they are staying with relatives in town.
Steamboat Pilot & Today Reporter Trevor Ballantyne contributed to this story.
John F. Russell is the business reporter at the Steamboat Pilot & Today. To reach him, call 970-871-4209, email jrussell@SteamboatPilot.com or follow him on Twitter @Framp1966.
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