North Dakota lawmaker dies in Crystal, Minnesota, plane crash, according to North Dakota Democratic Minority

The National Transportation Safety Board says it is investigating after an airplane crashed near Minneapolis late Saturday morning. According to the NTSB, it was a Beech F33A plane that crashed.

Two people were inside the aircraft, according to the FAA. The Brooklyn Park Police Department said that both people in the plane died. The police have been in contact with the family of the deceased. 

WCOO has been able to confirm that one of the deceased in the plane was a North Dakota Representative, Liz Conmy. 

North Dakota Democratic Minority Leader Zac Ista said in a statement, "I am completely devastated at the loss of our friend Liz. She lived life to its fullest, never shying from adventure or speaking her mind—often in refreshingly direct terms." 

Conmy has ties the University of St. Thomas and Minnesota State University.

The Hennepin County Medical Examiner will release the name of the other person inside the plane. 

"I just look up, and I saw it going really fast," said Nevaeh Surla, who witnessed the crash. "It was going down, and I didn't see [if] it had the wheels out for a landing. Then I told my fiancé 'that looks like it's going to crash,' and right when I said that, I saw the big explosion."

Local fire crews were on scene within minutes of receiving the call, according to officials. 

The Metropolitan Airport Commission confirmed that a single-engine aircraft departed from the Crystal, Minnesota, airport. 

There are no details on what could have led to the crash. Local police and fire officials have already started an investigation and an NTSB investigator is expected to arrive late Saturday or early Sunday. 

This is a developing story; check back for details.