Woman dead after Arvada plane crash identified by family

ARVADA, Colo. — One of four people aboard a small plane that crashed in Arvada Friday morning has died, according to the Jefferson County Coroner's Office. She was identified as Melissa Brinkmann by her family who said she died Saturday.

Brinkmann's family released the following statement on Monday:

“Melissa Brinkmann was involved in the plane crash that occurred in Arvada, Colorado on June 7, 2024. On Saturday, June 8, 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 enormous loss on our own terms Melissa was bold, courageous, loving and a fierce advocate for those she loved. – and she loved without limits She uplifted others and made this world a better place. We were forever grateful for the countless messages, memories and stories shared by the legions of people Melissa touched. first responders and medical personnel who came to her aid, fought for her and facilitated her exit from this life.”

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said the crash occurred shortly after 9:30 a.m. Friday around Oberon Road and Carr Street. Four people on board were taken to a hospital for treatment. Arvada police initially reported that two adults and two juveniles were injured, although an NTSB spokesperson later said two adults were involved and investigators were “trying to confirm” the age of the other two involved.

The pilot, who took off from Centennial Airport, reported a problem with the single-engine Beechcraft V35A Bonanza and attempted to fly to Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport to land, the NTSB spokesperson said Friday. Alex Lemishko. The plane crashed about seven miles south of the airport.

Watch Friday's full NTSB update here:

Pilot reported engine problem before Arvada plane crash: Full update from NTSB

Randy Hamrick said he was watching television when he heard an explosion outside his house and realized the plane had crashed in his yard.

“I opened that door and the plane was completely in flames,” he said.

Check out Hamrick's experience below.

'We heard like an explosion': Arvada homeowner opens front door to fiery plane crash

All parts of the accident were removed Friday and transported to a safe location for investigation.

“They're going to remove the engine from the crash site, place it in a secure location and examine it much more thoroughly to see exactly what caused, potentially what caused this mechanical failure of the aircraft.” said Chad Kendall, an aviation professor at Metropolitan State University in Denver.

Kendall told Denver7 that the NTSB will look at a few main factors during its investigation.

“They’re looking at the plane itself,” he said. “They're going to look at the maintenance history of the plane. They're going to look at the mechanical records of the plane. They're looking at the operation of the plane, including the pilot, as well as the weather.”

In a statement, the NTSB said it would review “flight path data, records of all air traffic control communications, weather forecasts, and actual weather and light conditions at the time of the accident.” “. It will also examine “pilot license, qualifications and recency of flight experience.” This will include a 72-hour background check on the pilot to determine if there were any issues that could have affected the pilot's ability to safely complete the flight.

The authorities will publish within 30 days a preliminary report which will contain the facts of the initial phase of the investigation. The full report may take more than a year.

The NTSB asked anyone who witnessed the crash or has surveillance video to contact [email protected].