Tragic Fatal Ending: North Dakota State Senator and Family Perish in Utah Plane Crash

On Monday, May 24th, North Dakota State Senator and father, John Thomas Burgum, and his family of four, were killed in a tragic plane crash in Utah. The medical examiner’s office in Tooele County identified the four passengers as John Thomas Burgum, his wife, Amanda Burgum, and their two sons, Austin and Asher Burgum. All four were pronounced dead at the crash scene. The Burgum family was traveling in a Mooney M20 aircraft at the time of the accident. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) reported that the plane crashed shortly after 5 p.m. local time near Cedar Creek Reservoir in Tooele County, Utah. The plane had departed from Las Vegas, Nevada, and was headed to North Dakota. The NTSB is actively investigating the cause of the crash. So far, the only known information is that the craft had encountered dense fog and low visibility conditions prior to the accident. John Thomas Burgum was elected to the North Dakota House of Representatives in 2018 and later appointed to serve in the Senate in 2020. He was an alumnus of North Dakota State University and held degrees in Criminal Justice and Sociology. During his time in elected office, he fought to ensure that North Dakota taxpayers were treated fairly. He was widely beloved and respected within his community. John Thomas Burgum’s passing is a devastating loss to his family and their community. His brave leadership and passion continue to be an inspiration to all who knew him, and he will be deeply missed. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Burgum family and everyone affected by this tragedy.