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ST. GEORGE — The four men killed Saturday in an airplane accident near the St. George Municipal Airport have been identified by officials.
Colby Hafen, 28, of Santa Clara, Tanner Holt, 23, of Washington, Jordan Chapman, 20, of St. George and Alex Metzger, 22, of Santa Clara, are believed to have been killed upon impact.
The men were riding in a single-engine Cessna at the time of the crash, which was discovered around 6 a.m. about 300 feet south of the airport's runway. It is believed that the crash occurred around 1:30 a.m. No eyewitnesses to the crash have come forth, and there was no airport personnel present at that time.
Security cameras caught footage of the last moment before the crash. Investigators say the plane was at a low level above the runway before it rapidly fell to the ground.
Related:
Four killed in small plane crash, two identified
Four people died when a single- engine Cessna crashed near the St. George Municipal Airport early Saturday morning.It is unclear where they were going at the time, or why they left so suddenly.
The crash will be investigated by Federal Aviation Administration officials as well as the National Transportation Safety Board.
The NTSB will lead the investigation and the NTSB investigator usually posts a basic preliminary report on the agency’s website, www.ntsb.gov, within a week or two of an accident.
The families and friends of the young men who died say that each of the four were passionate and kind.
"Jordan is an amazing kid," said Chapman's aunt, Lori Chapman. "He is a wonderful, wonderful young man. He would do anything for anyone."
Chapman was a student at the University of Utah who loved animals and sports. He played football for Snow Canyon High School in St. George.
All of the young men killed in this tragic accident were wonderful young men, and it's really left a hole in St. George.
–- Lori Chapman, aunt
In a statement from the Hafen family about Colby, they described him as a "wonderful son, brother and uncle" who adored his nieces and nephews.
"He loved to travel and explore other countries," they wrote. "He also loved hunting, fishing, boating and anything in the outdoors."
They said he served an LDS mission to Oregon and was working in the insurance business with his father. An avid sports fan, Hafen also loved being with people.
"He could always bring a smile to anyone's sad day and had the most loving and giving heart," his family wrote. "He could light up the room with his contagious smile and infectious personality."
Family and friends of the deceased men have set up a memorial near the site of the crash.
"All of the young men killed in this tragic accident were wonderful young men, and it's really left a hole in St. George," Lori Chapman said.
There was no information released concerning who was flying the plane.
Contributing: Emiley Morgan
