A pilot died when a small plane went down near a neighborhood in Douglas County on Friday night.
Centennial Airport contacted South Metro Fire at 8:23 p.m. to report a plane went off the radar, according to South Metro spokesperson Eric Hurst. Hurst says the plane took off at 8:12 from the airport, which is just north of the crash scene at 11083 Pastel Point, near Parker. Details regarding the flight of the plane are still being investigated.
Hurst called this a high-speed impact crash. The plane, a Cirrus SR22, seats four to five people.
PHOTOS: Plane crashes in Douglas County neighborhood
The FAA reported that the pilot was the only person on board after crews searched through debris in the open space behind the Stepping Stone subdivision to look for any other possible victims.
One large piece of debris fell from the plane and became wedged in the living room wall of a house, Hurst said. Someone was home and in the kitchen at the time. That person wasn't hurt.
Hurst told 9NEWS that the neighborhood is safe. There has not been a fire, and there is no reason to evacuate.
Several agencies are responding to this crash, including NTSB.
According to the Cirrus Aircraft website, this is a single-engine plane with a 38-foot wingspan. It is equipped with a parachute system, but the parachute cannot launch unless the plane is at the proper elevation. Given that the plane had only been in the air about 10 minutes, 9NEWS aviation expert Greg Feith does not think the plane had sufficient altitude to use the parachute.
The first part of the investigation will involve mapping the wreckage to determine if there was a mechanical malfunction, Feith says.
The results of that investigation will not be available for some time, but there is a chance weather could have been a factor. The National Weather Service says there was only a half-mile to a mile of visibility around the airport because of fog and mist.
The city of Lone Tree reports that RideGate Parkway east of I-25 is closed.
If you have any information, video or pictures to send, email yourtake@9news.com.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
