ARVADA, Colo. — One person is dead after an airplane crashed and caught fire Friday morning in an Arvada neighborhood, the Jefferson County coroner said Monday.
Arvada Police Department identified the victim as Melissa Brinkmann and sent out a statement from the family Monday afternoon.
The statement reads in full:
"Melissa Brinkmann was involved in the plane crash in Arvada, CO, on June 7, 2024. On Saturday, June 8th, we said goodbye to our beloved Melissa, our daughter, our big sister, our mom, our best friend, our partner, our hero. We ask for space and privacy to grieve this tremendous loss on our own terms. Melissa was bold, brave, loving, and a fierce champion of those she loved – and she loved boundlessly. To know Melissa was to be inspired by her. She elevated others and made this world a better place. We have been awe-struck and comforted by the countless messages, memories, and stories shared by the legions of people Melissa has impacted. We will be forever grateful to the first responders, bystanders, and medical staff who came to her aid, fought for her, and eased her passage from this life."
Arvada Police said they are not releasing any more information at this time.
The Arvada Fire Protection District responded to the crash about 9:30 a.m. in the area of Oberon Road and Carr Street. The small, fixed-wing plane was on fire in the front yard of a home when crews arrived on scene, Arvada Fire Operations Chief Matt Osier said at a news conference Friday.
All four people aboard the plane were taken to a hospital Friday, some in critical condition and some in serious condition. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) confirmed two people on board were adults, and Arvada Police said the other two on board were children.
NTSB inspector Alex Lemishko said the aircraft took off from Centennial Airport, experienced an engine problem while in route to Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport in Broomfield, and attempted to land on a roadway.
The plane's left wing hit a tree before the plane crashed on the roadway and skidded to a stop in a front yard. The fire started after the crash, Lemishko said.
FlightAware showed the plane took off from Centennial Airport at 9:16 a.m. The aircraft is a 1969 Beechcraft V35A Bonanza, which is a fixed-wing, single-engine craft with six seats. The owner is based in Larimer County.
A neighbor who witnessed the crash said they saw the plane tilting side to side and that it appeared to be dumping fuel.
In a conversation with air traffic control, the pilot said they had an oil light on and that they were "losing pressure." They asked to get on the ground.
“I’m trying to find a field or a park. I’ve got something in sight, I don’t know where I am,” the pilot said.
Jennifer Campbell-Hicks contributed to this report.
SUGGESTED VIDEOS: Latest from 9NEWS