North Dakota State Senator Dies in Grand County Plane Crash

A plane crash tragically took the lives of four people in Grand County, Utah, on October 1. This includes a State Senator from North Dakota, his wife, and two of his children.

A press release from the Grand County Sheriff’s Office said, “At approximately 8:30 p.m. the Grand County Sheriff’s Office received information from a reporting party of a plane going into the ground shortly after taking off from the Canyonlands Airfield north of Moab.”

It was later discovered that four of the passengers did not survive the crash, but their identities had not been released until the afternoon of October 2.

Another press release from the Grand County Sheriff's Office said, “Tragically, the pilot of the plane, North Dakota State Senator Douglas Larsen, his wife Amy Larsen, and their two youngest children did not survive the crash. Canyonlands Airport remains operational as investigations proceed.”

The Associated Press retrieved a statement from Republican Senate Majority Leader David Hogue that was sent to other senators.

Hogue said, “Senator Doug Larsen, his wife Amy, and their two young children died in a plane crash last evening [October 1] in Utah…they were visiting family in Scottsdale and returning home. They stopped to refuel in Utah…I’m not sure where the bereavement starts with such a tragedy, but I think it starts with prayers for the grandparents, surviving stepchild of Senator Larsen, and extended family of Doug and Amy…Hold your family close today.”

Senator Larsen was elected as a North Dakota Senator in 2020. We will provide updates as the situation continues to develop.