Officials begin investigation into Monday’s plane crash that killed two people; coroner releases names of dead

Routt County Coroner Mitch Locke released the names of the two people who died Monday afternoon when the twin-engine plane they were flying in crashed in the West Acres neighborhood.

According to FlightAware, Dan Dunn, 67, and Jessica Pauline Melton, 42, took off from Vance Brand Municipal Airport in Longmont at 3:17 p.m. on Monday.

The flight was scheduled to fly to Ogden-Hinckley Airport four miles southwest of Ogden, Utah. About 40 minutes after takeoff, the flight was diverted to Bob Adams Field in Steamboat Springs due to apparent engine problems.

Flight data shows that the plane circled over Bob Adams Field for about 25 minutes before crashing in the neighborhood, killing both passengers.

The state’s business database shows Berthoud-based High Country Aero as the registered owner of the twin-engine Cessna 421, and Dunn is listed as the company’s registered agent. Both Dunn and Melton were from the Front Range.

“Our deepest condolences go out to the families and friends of Dan and Jessica,” Steamboat Springs Police Chief Rich Brown said in a statement. “This could have been a much larger event, and I want to thank all of the first responders, crisis responders, interpreters and support personnel who responded to the West Acres neighborhood.”

Mike Lane, communications manager for the city of Steamboat Springs, said officials from the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board have arrived in Steamboat Springs to begin investigating the crash.

On Tuesday, they were seen at the crash site examining the wreckage as a handful of neighbors watched and recalled Monday’s events.

“The FAA and NTSB are on site and working with police Detective Sergeant Sam Silva on the investigation,” Lane said. “The immediate crash site remains closed as they will likely be there until Wednesday or the next day. All residents have returned (to their homes) except for the two homes destroyed in the crash.”

One of the homes was unoccupied and Lane said he believed it was undergoing renovations. He said the couple who lived in the other home were not there at the time of the crash and he believed they were staying with relatives in town.

Steamboat pilot and Today reporter Trevor Ballantyne contributed to this story.