Trapeze Artist and Doctor Kills Himself and 3-Year-Old Daughter During Flight

A Colorado doctor who also performed as a trapeze artist and his three-year-old daughter died when the plane he was piloting crashed in the mountains, officials said.

Aaron Gingrich, 43, had taken his daughter, Isabella, on an almost three-hour flight over the Rockies on October 4. The aircraft later went down near Eldorado Springs.

A preliminary report from the National Transportation Safety Board said the aircraft was flying as low as 7,375 feet in the minutes before the crash.

Gingrich and Isabella departed from Longmont’s Vance Brand Airport that evening and flew across northern Colorado for just under three hours, according to flight-tracking data.

The route shown on Flightaware appeared erratic. Audio also captured another pilot criticizing Gingrich’s departure from the airport.

In recordings obtained through LiveATC, a pilot berated Gingrich, who lived in a $1 million home in Boulder, and described his takeoff as dangerous.

“Two Gulf Lima, you up? Two Gulf Lima, you up?” the exasperated pilot was heard saying over the radio.

“Hey Two Gulf Lima, thanks so much for cutting us off in the traffic pattern. Appreciate it,” the pilot added sarcastically.

“We also have someone upwind 2-9 who’s being really dangerous and put us off in pattern. So we’re just getting out of here,” the pilot continued.

The cause of the crash, as well as the reason for the plane’s erratic flight, remains unknown. A complete NTSB report is expected at a later date.

Officials said the aircraft, a single-engine Diamond DA40, was recovered at an elevation of 7,360 feet.

Topographical maps of the area show elevations ranging from approximately 6,500 to 7,500 feet.

The Boulder County Sheriff’s Office said search-and-rescue crews looked through the area overnight but were unable to locate the aircraft.

A MedEvac helicopter equipped with night-vision technology was brought in to assist, but the wreckage was not found until the following morning, officials said.

The Boulder County Coroner identified the victims and described the incident as an “aircraft mishap.”

At the time of his death, Gingrich was an instructor in the Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of Colorado Anschutz, the university said.

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Gingrich, a Columbia University graduate, obtained his private pilot’s license in 2016, according to an online profile.

The profile also said that he had worked in five US states and six countries as an ER Doctor. In 2022 he opened a clinic offering ketamine treatments in Texas.

He also spent his spare time as a trapeze artist, with a Swiss based group sharing a tribute to him on their social media. 

The group said: ‘It’s with extreme sadness that we share the loss of one of our favorite birds. 

‘Aaron; your positive energy, your kindness, your beautiful way of sharing smiles, laughter and music will be remembered. 

‘Thank you, you will be deeply missed. We hope you’re flying and doing flips wherever you are now.’

A GoFundMe has since been set up to support Isabella’s mother, identified as Lauren Willcox, as of Thursday morning it had raised over $14,000. 

A post to the fundraiser said: ‘There are no words for the loss of sweet Bella, who was only three years old.

‘Our hearts are broken for Lauren as she faces the unimaginable pain of losing her little girl.

‘We want to come together to support Lauren and help create a special memorial for Bella, so her memory can live on in the community that loves her.

‘Donations will go toward Bella’s memorial. Any extra funds will be used to honor her through a charity donation or a memorial bench or structure in Boulder, Colorado.

‘Thank you for loving Bella, supporting Lauren, and helping keep Bella’s memory alive. Every donation and share means more than words can say.’