Larimer County Sheriff's Office spokesperson Ali Adams said at a briefing on Saturday that the Civil Air Patrol aircraft with three people onboard crashed at 11:12 am local time in the vicinity of Storm Mountain.

According to a news release from the governor's office, the three onboard, who have all served at the Civil Air Patrol as volunteers, were on "a routine training mission training aerial photography" when the accident occurred, reports Xinhua news agency.

The nonprofit Civil Air Patrol is the official auxiliary of the US Air Force. In Colorado, Civil Air Patrol missions include search-and-rescue efforts for lost hikers and hunters, locating downed aircraft, and transporting emergency personnel and medical materials.