It’s been revealed that the four victims of a Sunday night plane crash out of Canyonlands Airfield in Utah were a state senator from North Dakota, his wife and their two young children.
State senator Doug Larsen’s death was confirmed Monday in an email that Republican Senate Majority Leader David Hogue sent to his fellow senators.
The small plane crashed Sunday evening around 8.30pm after taking off north of Moab.
‘Senator Doug Larsen, his wife Amy, and their two young children died in a plane crash last evening in Utah,’ wrote Hogue in the email that circulated to members of the North Dakota legislature.
Larsen had a third stepchild who was not on the plane Sunday.
‘They were visiting family in Scottsdale and returning home. They stopped to refuel in Utah.’
The cause of the crash is being investigated.
State Senator Doug Larsen and his wife Amy were two of the people killed Sunday when their small plane went down in Utah
Also killed were the couple’s two young children. The family was reportedly returning to North Dakota from a family visit in Arizona
The Canyonlands Regional Airport, outside of Moab, Utah, where the Sunday night crash happened
The four victims were not identified by authorities, pending notification of their families
‘I’m not sure where the bereavement starts with such a tragedy, but I think it starts with prayers for the grandparents, surviving stepchild of Senator Larsen, and extended family of Doug and Amy,’ wrote Hogue in his note. ‘Hold your family close today.’
Larsen, a Republican, was first elected to the North Dakota Senate in 2020.
His district comprises Mandan, a city that flanks Bismarck across the Mississippi River. He chaired a panel that handled industry and business legislation.
In addition to his political position, Larsen and his wife were majority owners of a local hotel. He was also a lieutenant colonel in the North Dakota National Guard.
Deputies with the Grand County Sheriff’s Office said they received a report that the aircraft went down around 8.30pm on Sunday.
An Air Medical helicopter located the downed plane while crews from the sheriff’s office, the Moab Fire Department and EMTs responded to the crash site.
News of the state senator’s death spread Monday after an email from ND Senate Majority leader circulated to colleagues
Larsen, a Republican, was first elected to the North Dakota Senate in 2020. His district comprises Mandan, a city that flanks Bismarck across the Mississippi River. He chaired a panel that handled industry and business legislation
In a brief statement released just after midnight Monday, the Sheriff’s Office said: ‘Rescue efforts were completed. Four occupants unfortunately did not survive the crash. Further information will be provided as soon as family members have been notified.’
Initially, the office said it dispatched emergency responders after receiving a call for a witness who saw ‘a plane going into the ground shortly after taking off from the Canyonlands Airfield north of Moab.’
The National Transportation Safety Board said in a post on X (formerly Twitter) that the crash of the single-engine Piper was being investigated.
The plane crashed about 15 miles outside of Moab, Utah – a tourist city of about 5,300 people located near Arches and Canyonlands national parks.