Steamboat Springs, the picturesque resort town in Colorado, turned into a site of profound grief following a deadly plane crash that killed at least three people. The accident involved an Epic E-1000 turboprop near Emerald Mountain, occurring at approximately 12:20 a.m. Friday. The NTSB has launched a full probe, as per their update on X, while the FAA documented the initial casualty figures.
Authorities, led by Sheriff Doug Sherar, are working tirelessly to confirm identities and reach out to grieving relatives. The circumstances leading to the crash are still under wraps, leaving the aviation community on edge.
Compounding the sorrow, a separate horror struck Statesville, North Carolina, where a Cessna Citation C-550 jet plummeted during landing, claiming seven lives. Among the victims were NASCAR veteran Greg Biffle and his family—wife and two kids—turning a routine flight into unthinkable loss. FlightAware data shows the plane departed briefly before attempting to return, only to meet fiery demise around 10:20 a.m. Thursday.
Chaotic footage showed emergency teams battling infernos amid twisted metal. With the runway crippled, Statesville Regional Airport remains shuttered under FAA oversight, as manager John Ferguson outlined the lengthy recovery ahead. As families mourn and experts analyze black boxes, these crashes serve as stark reminders of aviation’s inherent risks, spurring debates on pilot training, maintenance protocols, and air traffic innovations.