A tragic aviation accident occurred on Sunday morning over Fort Morgan Municipal Airport in the state of Colorado, resulting in the death of one person and injuries to three others, according to a report by the New York Post.
The collision took place when two small aircraft -- a Cessna 172 and an Extra EA-300 -- crashed into each other mid-air while attempting to land on the same runway.
Each aircraft was carrying two occupants at the time of the incident, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed.
The Morgan County Sheriff's Office stated that one passenger aboard the Extra EA-300 was pronounced dead at the scene.
The second occupant of that aircraft was transported to a nearby hospital for treatment. Meanwhile, both individuals aboard the Cessna 172 sustained minor injuries and received on-site medical care.
Eyewitnesses reported that one of the planes caught fire upon impact, resulting in a dramatic scene with charred wreckage scattered across the crash site. The other aircraft was also severely damaged, with fragments of its tail and wings found strewn across the area.
Several bystanders rushed to the scene in an attempt to extinguish the flames and assist the victims before emergency services arrived.
Metropolitan State University of Denver extended its condolences to the victims' families and clarified that the incident was unrelated to the airshow being held at the airport over the weekend.
The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are scheduled to launch a full investigation on Monday to determine the circumstances and causes of the crash.