BLACK HAWK - Professional golfer Jeff Maggert says the man killed Thursday in a single-engine plane crash near Black Hawk was his brother, Barry, of Carbondale.
Barry Maggert and another man were on board a Cessna when it went down. Authorities have not officially released their identities, but they did say the pilot killed was 55 and the passenger who survived is 23.
ESPN.com is reporting that the pilot was the older brother of professional golfer Jeff Maggert.
Jeff Maggert withdrew from The Players Championship golf tournament Thursday, according to ESPN.com, and told officials that his brother died in a small plane crash in Colorado en route to his son's college graduation.
The Gilpin County Sheriff's Department says the plane crashed about four miles west of Black Hawk in the Miner's Gulch area around 4:15 p.m. on Thursday.
The Aspen Daily News reported the 1965 Cessna 1982 was co-owned by Barry Maggert and Carroll Winkler, who said that Maggert was flying the plane to Boulder for his son's graduation from the University of Colorado.
Authorities say the passenger was able to use his cell phone and call 911 for help. He told dispatchers he was covered in fuel, but was able to get out of the plane.
The Black Hawk Fire Department says the plane crashed near the Central City graveyard.
Boulder Police say the plane was headed to Boulder when it went down. It originated in Glenwood Springs and the men on board were headed to a graduation ceremony.
Authorities say ground rescuers were unable to reach the wreckage, so a helicopter was requested from Buckley Air Force Base and was able to get the survivor from the plane crash area.
Crews lowered themselves down from the helicopter to rescue the man.
The Civil Air Patrol says the survivor was brought onto the helicopter around 7:45 p.m. and the pilot was dead.
Crews are still trying to reach the pilot who is remains at the plane wreckage site. They suspended recovery operations on Thursday night, but plan to resume work on Friday morning.
The Gilpin County Sheriff's office has not officially released the names of the pilot and passenger. The passenger's condition was unknown.