A North Dakota state representative and a pilot tragically lost their lives in a plane crash shortly after takeoff on Saturday near Crystal Airport, located in a suburb of Minneapolis.
The deceased have been identified as Rep. Liz Conmy, a Democrat from Fargo, and another individual who was piloting the Beech F33A aircraft when it crashed in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, subsequently catching fire.
“Liz served her state and community with great care and compassion,” said North Dakota Governor Kelly Armstrong in a statement. “From her roles in the Legislature to the state’s Human Trafficking Commission, as well as her work on education, habitat, and immigration, her contributions were invaluable. Kjersti and I are profoundly saddened by this tragic loss and extend our deepest condolences to her family, friends, and fellow legislators. We urge North Dakotans to keep them in their thoughts and prayers.”
In honor of Rep. Conmy, Governor Armstrong has ordered that all U.S. and North Dakota flags be flown at half-staff from dawn until dusk on the day of her burial. He also encouraged residents to do the same at their homes and businesses.
Lieutenant Governor Michelle Strinden expressed her sorrow, stating, “I am heartbroken by the tragic passing of Rep. Conmy, a dear friend and former colleague with whom I had the privilege of serving in the state House. Liz brought integrity, compassion, and unwavering dedication to her work on the Education and Judiciary committees. I was proud to partner with her on efforts to strengthen our schools. My thoughts are with her family and all who knew and loved her.”
“I am heartbroken by the tragic passing of Rep. Conmy, a dear friend and former colleague with whom I had the privilege of serving in the state House,” Lt. GOP Gov. Michelle Strinden wrote in a statement. “Liz brought integrity, compassion and unwavering dedication to her work on the Education and Judiciary committees, and I was proud to partner with her on efforts to strengthen our schools. My thoughts are with her family and all who knew and loved her.”
The Federal Aviation Administration said two people were aboard, but the pilot was not immediately publicly identified.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will investigate, Fox 9 reported.
“We are completely heartbroken and gutted by the loss of Representative Liz Conmy,” the North Dakota Democratic–Nonpartisan League Party wrote Saturday on X.
“Her death is a profound loss for our state. As a lawmaker, she championed public education, the environment, and transparency.”
Brooklyn Park Police Inspector Matt Rabe said officers were called at 11:51 a.m. to a report of a small plane crash in a park area. Emergency crews found the aircraft engulfed in flames after it crashed shortly after departing from Crystal Airport, north of Minneapolis. The Brooklyn Park Fire Department arrived within minutes and extinguished the fire, but there were no survivors.
Neighbors near the crash site described hearing a loud explosion and seeing flames shoot up from the wreckage.
“I was in the house, in my bedroom, and my daughter was eating cereal at the kitchen table, and there was a really loud boom,” Ashley Capp, who lives across the street, told FOX 9.
Another neighbor, Kim Clark, said the scene unfolded quickly.
“We look across the street, and it was a huge flame, huge fire,” Clark told the station. “Everybody started calling 911.”
State Sen. Tim Mathern, who described Conmy as a friend and former running mate, said she brought “a zest for life and a strong work ethic” and would be missed by Democrats and Republicans alike.
The crash was the second deadly plane crash in Brooklyn Park in more than a year, according to FOX 9.
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