(Eds: Photos of this accident can be found in the BNO News visuals database under ‘Current news events’ -> ’2010′ -> ‘August’ -> ’5′ -> ‘Gilpin County, Colorado small plane crash’)

NEDERLAND, COLORADO (BNO NEWS) — Authorities on Friday identified the three people who died in Wednesday’s small plane crash in north-central Colorado.

The accident happened around 12.37 p.m. local time on Wednesday when a 1951-build Bonanza single-engine aircraft crashed on Rollins Pass in unincorporated Gilpin County, in north-central Colorado near Nederland. It was first reported as a smoke sighting but – when first responders arrived on scene – the wreckage of a plane was found.

Cherokee Blake, a spokeswoman for the Gilpin County Sheriff’s Office, identified the three victims as 70-year-old pilot John Howard, 56-year-old Catherine Heveran, and 25-year-old James Chatham. Howard and Heveran were of Sunnyvale, California, while Chatham was of Spokane, Washington. He was a friend of Catherine’s daughter.

All three victims arrived at Boulder Municipal Airport in Colorado at approximately 6 a.m. local time on Wednesday and left the airport at an unspecified time. They were en-route to Sunnyvale when the aircraft went down on Rollins Pass.

The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will return to the crash site on Saturday to continue their investigation.

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