4 people killed in plane crash in Colorado mountains near Steamboat Springs

Four people were killed in a plane crash Friday morning near the Colorado ski town of Steamboat Springs, according to the Routt County Sheriff's Office.

The plane crashed around 12:20 a.m. on the south-facing side of Emerald Mountain, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. All four bodies have been recovered and sheriff's officials say they expect to notify the families of the victims later in the day on Friday.

The scene of the crash is closed and marked with yellow tape, and people are being asked to avoid the area.

The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board, which investigates plane crashes, are expected to be at the scene Friday afternoon.

The NTSB said the plane involved was an Epic Aircraft E1000. The registration number of the plane came back to an aviation company based in Tennessee, FAA records show.

Data on the plane's speed, direction, and altitude from public flight tracking service ADS-B Exchange show the plane flying west over the state, going south, continuing west, and then turning north before crashing during its descent into the Steamboat Springs Airport at about 8,000 feet.

Emerald Mountain is immediately west of Steamboat Springs and about 165 miles northwest of Denver.