North Dakota state senator Doug Larsen, his wife, and their two young children were killed after their small plane crashed in Utah Sunday, The Daily Mail reported.

They died after their single-engine plane crashed shortly after takeoff on Sunday evening near Canyonlands Airfield, north of Moab. 

Deputies with the Grand County Sheriff's Office said they received a report that the aircraft went down around 8.30pm on Sunday. 

In a brief statement released just after midnight Monday, the Sheriff's Office said: “Rescue efforts were completed. Four occupants unfortunately did not survive the crash. Further information will be provided as soon as family members have been notified.”

State senator Doug Larsen's death was confirmed Monday in an email that Republican Senate Majority Leader David Hogue sent to his fellow senators.