One person was killed and three others injured when two small aircraft collided midair while attempting to land at Fort Morgan Municipal Airport in Colorado on Sunday morning, August 31, 2025.
The crash occurred at approximately 10:40 a.m. when a Cessna 172 and an Extra Flugzeugbau EA300 struck each other in midair as both pilots were attempting to land at the small Morgan County airport, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. Each aircraft carried two occupants.
Morgan County Undersheriff Jon Horton indicated that the Cessna was on final approach to the airport when it was struck midair by the EA300. Both aircraft crashed and caught fire upon impact. Images from an FAA weather camera showed a plume of smoke just north of the airport, which is located about five miles north of the town of Fort Morgan off Highway 52.
The fatal victim was aboard the Extra EA300, according to the Morgan County Sheriff’s Office. The second occupant of the EA300 was transported to a local hospital with injuries of unknown extent. Both occupants of the Cessna sustained minor injuries and were treated at the scene before being released.
Emergency responders were dispatched around 10:44 a.m. after receiving reports of the crash. Personnel from the Morgan County Sheriff’s Office, Fort Morgan Police Department, Colorado State Patrol, Fort Morgan Fire Department, and Morgan County Ambulance all responded to the scene. Dispatch audio recorded on the website Broadcastify indicated that emergency responders observed black smoke and active flames, with at least one person initially trapped in one of the aircraft.
The airport was hosting an aerobatics competition this weekend, the Kyle Scott Dust-Up, organized by Chapter 12 of the International Aerobatic Club. The collision forced the closure of Fort Morgan Municipal Airport pending the completion of the investigation.
ADS-B data indicated that the Cessna 172 was approaching the runway directly, while the Extra Flugzeugbau was making a left base-to-final turn to the same runway, according to information from the Aviation Safety Network. Witnesses reported seeing the two aircraft collide before falling to the ground, with both planes catching fire upon impact.
The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board have been contacted and are expected to lead the investigation into the cause of the collision. The NTSB announced on social media that investigators are examining the midair collision involving the two aircraft near Fort Morgan.
The Morgan County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that the victim killed in the crash will be identified by the Morgan County Coroner’s Office, which is assisting in the investigation. Officials stated that the names of those involved are not being released while the investigation remains active.
The sheriff’s office extended condolences to the family and friends of the victim in a Facebook post, stating: “We extend our deepest condolences to the family and friends of the victim in this tragic event.” Officials also expressed gratitude to all responding agencies and thanked community members who assisted at the scene, including those who attempted to extinguish the flames before emergency crews arrived.
Fort Morgan City Manager Brent Nation confirmed the incident in an email, noting that the airport remained closed until the NTSB arrived to complete its investigation. The crash occurred during the Labor Day weekend, when the airport was hosting the aerobatics competition.
According to university officials, MSU Denver’s collegiate aerobatics team was competing in the competition at the airport this weekend, but the collision did not involve the university’s students.
The NTSB has requested that anyone with information about the crash contact them at witness@ntsb.gov. Both federal agencies are continuing their investigation into the circumstances surrounding the midair collision.
This incident marks another aviation safety concern in 2025, following several other plane crashes and safety incidents across the United States throughout the year. The investigation is expected to determine the specific factors that led to the collision between the two aircraft as they attempted to land at the municipal airport.
