A North Dakota state legislator and a pilot were killed after a single-engine plane crashed into a suburban park shortly after takeoff.
Liz Conmy died when the aircraft went down in a green space in Brooklyn Park, north of Minneapolis, on Saturday morning. The plane had just departed from Crystal Airport before the crash.
Surveillance video from a nearby home captured the moment the aircraft plummeted and erupted into a fireball.
Emergency crews rushed to the scene, where they found the wreckage engulfed in flames and debris scattered across the park. Firefighters were able to put out the blaze, but both Conmy and the pilot — who has not yet been identified — were pronounced dead at the scene.
Radar data shows the plane took off around 11:30 a.m. and was heading north before it disappeared from tracking systems. About 20 minutes later, authorities were alerted to the crash by witnesses.
No other injuries were reported.
Tributes have begun pouring in for Conmy, who served as a representative for the North Dakota Democratic–Nonpartisan League Party, affiliated with the national Democratic Party.
“We are completely heartbroken and gutted by the loss of Representative Liz Conmy. Her death is a profound loss for our state,” the party said in a statement.
She is being remembered for her advocacy for public education, environmental issues, and government transparency.
The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed that two people were on board the aircraft. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the crash, which involved a Beech F33A airplane.
Officials said the area will likely remain closed for several days as the investigation continues. Crystal Airport was temporarily shut down following the crash but has since reopened.
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