The senator, who was a flight officer within the North Dakota Military Nationwide Guard, was the pilot. He and his household have been the one passengers on the airplane.
The household visited Moab by automotive after touchdown and left after refueling the airplane, stated Fabian Salazar, an air security investigator for the Nationwide Transportation Security Board. He added in a press release to A Press Conference Monday.
The NTSB is main the investigation, and a preliminary report is predicted inside two weeks and an in depth report in as much as 18 months, Salazar stated. He added that the investigation will embrace the historical past of the pilot, the airplane, its upkeep historical past, along with the climate.
Emergency providers have been notified inside minutes of the crash and attended a “very troublesome scene,” Grand County Police Chief Jamison Wiggins informed reporters.
“The lack of life, particularly amongst kids, is the toughest half,” he stated.
Larsen, a Republican, was elected to the North Dakota Senate in 2020. He served with the North Dakota Military Nationwide Guard for practically three a long time, reaching the rank of lieutenant colonel, and was deployed twice, to Iraq from 2009 to 2010 and to Washington. From 2013-2014, according to Assertion from the workplace of North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum (proper).
Larsen’s decorations included the Meritorious Service Medal, Bronze Service Star, and Military Aviator’s Badge.
Burgum stated it was a “heartbreaking loss” and praised Larsen’s “unwavering sense of honor and responsibility.”
“As a legislator, he was a tenacious advocate for the person rights and freedoms he defended by way of his army service,” he stated.
Doug and Amy Larsen owned a house constructing firm. Amy Larsen was a board member of the native Dwelling Builders Affiliation and was a part of the Bismarck-Mandan Skilled Ladies in Building Council, based on statement From the North Dakota Builders Affiliation. “We’ll miss them a lot,” she stated.
Larsen’s seat will likely be up for election subsequent yr. beneath North Dakota lawthe world Republican Occasion Committee is accountable for appointing somebody to serve till then.