One person was killed Monday morning when an airplane crashed into a storage unit in Cheyenne, igniting a fire, according to the Cheyenne Police Department.
The department said an investigation involving multiple agencies revealed the airplane’s lone occupant, its pilot, suffered fatal injuries in the accident.
A video from security cameras at a Cheyenne business showed the airplane spinning into the ground Monday morning.
Business owner Steve Sears told Cowboy State Daily that he didn’t see the aircraft hit the ground but thought to check his security cameras shortly thereafter. He said the footage captured the entire incident.
Screenshots provided by Sears to Cowboy State Daily show the plane shortly before impact.
“I was at home when it happened and thought to check [the security cameras] out of curiosity,” Sears told Cowboy State Daily.
“I thought I would check thinking that I would see smoke but much to my surprise, I saw the plane spinning almost straight down and impact,” he said.
Sears said he gave the video footage to the Cheyenne Police Department and the Federal Aviation Administration.
A police spokesperson said they Cheyenne Fire Department deployed six engines to battle the fire started by the crash and was able to contain the fire by 8:30am.
Cheyenne Fire Rescue, Cheyenne Police Department, Wyoming Air National Guard Fire, American Medical Response, Cheyenne/Laramie County Emergency Management Agency, Laramie County Coroner, Laramie County Fire Authority are the partnering agencies assisting with the initial investigation.
The scene was still active Monday afternoon and had been turned over to the National Traffic Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration.
According to the Aviation Safety Network, the plane was in its initial climb when the pilot reported an engine failure shortly after takeoff.
The pilot told Air Traffic Control that he was going to try to land in a field. His last communication was, “I am on fire … please send rescue.”
A photo released by the department show the Cheyenne Fire Department on the scene extinguishing a blaze caused by the accident.
