Sunday just before 10:00 a.m, Boulder County Communications was notified of a plane crash near the 10,000 block of Lefthand Canyon Drive. A person reported seeing the plane crash into the ground and saw reported smoke and flames in the area.

Firefighters arrived on the scene and reported a single-engine plane that had been destroyed along with one deceased person. Firefighters initially reported a one-half acre fire growing slowly in heavy timber. Firefighters began digging containment lines around the fire and applying water from brush trucks to stop the fire growth. Firefighters on the ground were assisted by a helicopter that provided water drops to reduce the fire's spread.  

An evacuation warning for areas near Gold Hill and Ward was issued, given the projected path of the fire and the possibility for growth. The fire, called the Spring Gulch Fire, was mapped at just under one-half acre and is reported as 90 percent contained. Firefighters worked into the evening and will patrol the area into Monday. All evacuation warnings have been lifted.

Boulder County Sheriff's Office investigators have not determined the number of fatalities or other information due to unsafe conditions on the scene. Investigators will be on site Monday to continue working.

The investigation is ongoing. The official cause and manner of death, along with identification of the deceased, will be determined by the Boulder County Coroner's Office.

The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration will investigate the cause of the crash.