Pilot crashes into former home north of Denver

Says he didn't realize the connection until later

This photo provided by North Metro Fire Rescue District, a house is on fire after a plane crash on Monday, May 5, 2014 Northglenn, Colo. The pilot, Brian Veatch said that he once owned the home, as indicated by property records, but said he didn't realize that's where he crashed until someone else pointed it out. Veatch, tried to put out the fire with a garden hose before he was forced away by burning fuel. Police say it looked like Veatch was trying to land in a field near the house. (AP Photo/North Metro Fire Rescue District)

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Parts of a plane and a destroyed house are shown on Monday in Northglenn, Colo.

NORTHGLENN, Colo.  — First, the pilot who crashed into a home near Denver escaped unharmed and tried to put out the resulting fire with a garden hose. In another surprising twist, Brian Veatch used to live in the home a decade ago but so far the location of Monday’s crash looks like a coincidence.

Veatch told KMGH-TV that he didn’t realize the house he hit was the same one he used to live in a decade ago until someone pointed it out.

Veatch was towing a banner for an insurance company and was supposed to fly over a Colorado Rockies game when the crash occurred, according to the man who hired him, Tom Mace.

Mace told The Associated Press that the veteran firefighter crashed upside down and didn’t realize it was his old house. Mace, who said he talked to Veatch late Monday, said Veatch doesn’t know the young couple who lives there now.

“It was one of those twists of fate,” Mace said.

No one was home at the time of the crash.

Police and Mace both said Veatch was trying to land in a field near the house.

Mace said the plane lost power.

“It was a catastrophic reduction of power to where he was unable to keep the plane up,” he said.

Veatch was already back at work at the South Metro Fire and Rescue District today but declined to be interviewed.

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the cause of the crash.