Update #1 Possible Single Engine Plane Crash in Boulder County

*** Media Advisory: October 5, 2026 at 4 p.m. ***

The Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer will provide an in‑person media update today, October 5, 2026, at 4 p.m. at the previously designated location at State Highway 93 and State Highway 170 (northwest corner). This briefing will address the ongoing aircraft crash investigation.

Boulder County, Colo. - Today, October 5, 2026, at about 10:15 a.m., a MedEvac helicopter and the Civil Air Patrol located the crash site of the missing aircraft south of the City of Boulder. Aircraft were further assisted by the Boulder Emergency Squad drone team. The crash site is situated north of Eldorado Canyon State Park and south of the Flatirons, in an area of difficult terrain. Rescuers reached the crash site at about noon today. Two individuals were located deceased, and no survivors were found.

The Boulder County Sheriff’s Office, in coordination with our federal partners at the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), will be conducting the investigation. The investigation will be led by the NTSB. They have been notified and are expected to have a team on site by tomorrow, October 6.

The Boulder County Coroner’s Office is conducting an independent investigation to determine the cause and manner of death, and the decedents names will be released following positive identification and notification of next of kin.

Our thoughts are with the family impacted by this tragic incident.

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/s/ V. Montez,

Public Information Officer

Original Release: October 5, 2026, at 10:17 a.m.

Possible Single Engine Plane Crash in Boulder County

Boulder County, Colo. -The Boulder County Communications Center received a call from the United States Air Force Rescue Coordination Center at 9:42 p.m. last night about a possible downed aircraft. An emergency beacon on a private single engine fixed wing aircraft alerted near Eldorado Springs, which is also where the plane was last seen on radar.

The missing plane originated out of the Vance Brand Airport in Longmont. We have not been able to confirm the number of people onboard the aircraft, as a flight plan is not required for a plane of this size.

First responders and search and rescue crews spent multiple hours searching overnight. Incident command also requested and received assistance from a MedEvac helicopter to perform a search from the air using night vision technology, but despite the search efforts, the plane was not located overnight.

Law enforcement also checked at nearby airports to see if the plane had landed, but the plane was not found at any of the airports.

The search is resuming this morning now that search and rescue crews can safely hike into the rugged backcountry. Air support from the Civil Air Patrol is also anticipated, performing an aerial search.

The following agencies are assisting with the search efforts: Boulder County Sheriff’s Office, Boulder Emergency Squad, Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks, Civil Air Patrol, Colorado Search and Rescue Association, MedEvac, and Rocky Mountain Rescue Group.

The associated Boulder County Sheriff’s Office case number is 26-04781.

/s/ Carrie Haverfield, Sr. Communications Specialist