Eugene Knutson and James Gelaude die in fatal Broomfield plane crash

Eugene Knutson and James Gelaude die in fatal Broomfield plane crash

Fatal Broomfield plane crash death of Eugene Knutson and James Gelaude – Obituary

Two men, Eugene Knutson, 80, and James Gelaude, 74, were identified as the victims of a tragic airplane crash that occurred near Broomfield on Saturday morning. The crash happened shortly after 10 a.m. near Brainard Drive and Midway Boulevard in unincorporated Boulder County.

Gelaude, who lived in Lakewood, owned the Beech twin-engine aircraft involved in the crash. According to officials, he contacted air traffic control shortly after takeoff to report a problem with the aircraft’s door being open. The plane had departed from Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport in the Broomfield area and was attempting to return when it went down.

North Metro Fire spokesperson Sara Farris stated that the crash occurred on open land within the Carolyn Holmberg Preserve at Rock Creek Farm. A small grass fire, covering roughly 100 square feet, ignited after the impact but was quickly put out by fire crews.

The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration are actively investigating the incident to determine the cause of the crash.