North Dakota
North Dakota Rep. Liz Conmy dies in Brooklyn Park plane crash near Crystal Airport
2 killed in Brooklyn Park plane crash
Two people were killed, including one North Dakota State Representative, in a plane crash in Brooklyn Park Saturday. FOX 9’s Leon Purvis has more.
BROOKLYN PARK, Minn. (FOX 9) – A small plane crashed near Crystal Airport, killing both people on board and drawing a swift response from emergency crews and neighbors.
READ MORE: Fiery plane crash near Crystal Airport leaves 2 dead
Emergency response and community reaction after crash
What we know:
Investigators say the crash happened shortly after takeoff, with the plane identified as a Beech F33A. The Brooklyn Park Fire Department arrived within minutes and put out the fire. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed there were two people on the plane and local authorities said there were no survivors.
Neighbors living near the crash site described hearing a loud boom and seeing flames.
“I was in the house, in my bedroom, and my daughter was eating cereal at the kitchen table, and there was a really loud boom,” said Ashley Capp, who lives across the street.
Kim Clark, another neighbor, said, “It was scary because it was like, it’s really close to my home, and my family stays here.”
Clark captured video of the plane engulfed in flames just after the crash.
“We look across the street, and it was a huge flame, huge fire. And then everybody started calling 911, and some people were getting close to see if there were anybody alive. But then it kind of started to spark, and the flames started to get bigger,” said Clark.
Police arrived quickly, but neighbors said the fire made it impossible to help those inside the plane.
“The police got here in a few minutes, but it was kind of sad to watch them. You could almost tell on their faces that there was a person in there, and they were kind of circling the plane; they couldn’t do anything without fire,” said Capp.
The crash marks the second deadly plane crash in Brooklyn Park in more than a year.
“It’s getting more and more worrisome because we’re kind of in the line of the airport there,” said Clark.
North Dakota Rep. among those killed
Dig deeper:
North Dakota State Rep. Liz Conmy was confirmed as one of the two people killed. North Dakota Gov. Kelly Armstrong released a statement saying, “Kjersti and I are saddened by this tragic loss and offer our deepest condolences to her family, friends and fellow legislators. We ask North Dakotans to join us in keeping them in our prayers.”
North Dakota State Senator Tim Mathern also released a statement saying, “Rep. Liz Conmy was my running mate and friend. She had a zest for life and a strong work ethic. Our democracy needs more like her. She will be missed by Democrats and Republicans alike. Her family has our love and support.”
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is expected to arrive on scene either Monday night or early Tuesday morning to begin a closer investigation of the wreckage. More details could become available once investigators have examined the site.
What we don’t know:
The cause of the crash has not yet been determined. Investigators have not released the identity of the second person on board or additional details about what led to the crash.