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Homeowner: There's A Plane Sticking Out Of My House

NORTHGLENN, Colo. (CBS4) – The owner of a Northglenn home that a small plane crashed into on Monday plans to rebuild and is thankful no one was hurt.

Nobody was home at the time and the pilot was able to walk away without any serious injuries.

The pilot of the plane is also a firefighter for South Metro Fire and once he got out of the cockpit he grabbed a garden house and tried to put the fire out himself.

On Tuesday crews pulled the wrecked plane from the house.

"My house is still standing. There was a plane sticking out of it earlier but they got that out," said the owner of the house Matthew Richardson.

Plane Crash Northglenn
An image from Copter4 (credit: CBS)

Richardson and his fiancée were both at work when the plane crashed into their home. Any other day, Richardson would have likely been home with his 14-year-old son.

"It's bizarre and unfortunate but there's no loss of life and my animals are okay and it's all material. I have insurance," said Richardson.

His dogs, Toki and Lulu, were in the basement at the time and firefighters were able to rescue them.

The pilot, Brian Veatch, was flying from Platte Valley Park Airport with a "Geico Insurance" banner so people at Coors Field could see it.

Brian Veatch from his FB in front of a plane-confirmed
Brian Veatch (credit: CBS)

Tom Mace owns the banner company and Veatch recently bought the Piper Pawnee plane from him. Mace says Veatch was flying about 65 mph when the plane's engine failed, stalled, began gliding and crashed into the home.

"I was proud of him. He went into fireman mode. Checked himself out, dropped out, got out of cockpit, tried to open the door. Couldn't get that one open, went downstairs, and couldn't get that one open. Went in through the front door or one of the side doors and did a search," said Mace.

Not only did Veatch try to put the fire out with a garden hose but it's been learned he used to own the home. Police do not believe there's any connection between the two, just really ironic.

Richardson says he'd like to talk to the pilot.

"Maybe like to hear his story, pretty crazy probably," he said.

The pilot was back at work on Tuesday at South Metro Fire with only a few scratches.

The plane is at Greeley Airport where the National Transportation Safety Board will do their investigation.

Northglenn Police will determine if any criminal charges will be filed.

The homeowners say they will rebuild but it will be months before they can live there again.

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