Tragedy Strikes in Utah as North Dakota State Senator Doug Larsen and His Family Die in Plane Crash

Last night, tragedy struck in Utah when a small plane carrying North Dakota State Senator Doug Larsen, his wife Amy, and their two young children crashed shortly after taking off from Canyonlands Airfield.

The Grand County Sheriff’s Department released a statement on Facebook confirming the deaths of all four passengers on board the plane. North Dakota Senate Majority Leader Rich Hogue also confirmed the news in an email, saying, “Senator Doug Larsen, his wife Amy, and their two young children died in a plane crash last evening in Utah.”

The cause of the crash is still under investigation. The National Transportation Safety Board is expected to arrive at the scene of the crash to begin their investigation.

The Larsen family was well-known in North Dakota, with Senator Larsen serving in the state legislature since 2013. He was re-elected to a fourth term in November.

The news of the Larsen family’s death has left the North Dakota community in shock. Governor Doug Burgum released a statement expressing his condolences and saying, “We are deeply saddened by the tragic loss of Senator Doug Larsen, his wife Amy, and their two young children. Our hearts go out to the Larsen family and all those who knew and loved them.”