Aspiring pilot accepted to Aviate Program among victims in Erie crash

ERIE, Colo. — The Weld County Coroner’s Office released on Monday the identities of the two people killed in a single-engine plane that crashed during an instructional flight near the Erie Municipal Airport earlier this month.

Niles Tilenius, 22, of San Mateo County, California, and William Johnston, 21, of Hillsborough County, Florida, were killed on Oct. 19 when their ultra-light JMB Aircraft went down near the runway.

The aircraft had been performing touch-and-go landings and was on its fifth approach when it entered a nose-low spin and crashed into a grassy area just east of the runway, according to a preliminary report from the National Transportation Safety Board.

Additionally, the NTSB noted that witnesses reported seeing the plane tumbling before impact, and that the airframe parachute system was not deployed.

According to his LinkedIn.com profile, Tilenius was a flight instructor and had recently been accepted into United Airlines’ Aviate Program.

The NTSB’s investigation into the cause of the crash is ongoing.

Coloradans making a difference | Denver7 featured videos

Retired air traffic controller: Controllers being used as political 'pawns' during shutdown

Denver Public Schools give students a head start on financial literacy as state mandate approaches

Broncos’ suffocating defense bails out anemic offense in 10-7 win over Raiders

New resource in Aurora aims to shift response to homelessness in the area

Denver's airport facing reduced flights due to govt. shutdown. Here's the impact

---

Denver7 is committed to making a difference in our community by standing up for what's right, listening, lending a helping hand and following through on promises. See that work in action, in the videos above.