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WEST JORDAN — The pilot of an experimental aircraft that crashed into a soccer field shortly after takeoff Tuesday has died from his injuries.
West Jordan police announced Wednesday morning that both the pilot and passenger in the plane had now died.
Killed were the pilot, Jared Despain, 28, from Nephi, and Brent Simmons, 40, of Manti.
Despain was the pilot of the plane. He was brought to IMC in extremely critical condition Tuesday afternoon - his family and friends hopeful he'd pull though. Sadly, he died close to midnight.
The fiberglass, experimental plane had taken off from South Valley Regional Airport at about 1:20 p.m. Tuesday. Witnesses say it struggled to gain altitude and crashed into the West Jordan Soccer Complex at 4400 West and 7800 South.
Despain's, family tells us he had flown planes for at least eight years, and was a instructor on his own for the past three.
He founded Red Mountain Aviation - a flight instruction school in central and southern Utah.
Despains brother-in-law told KSL he was a great man who loved his family very much. He also tells us that his brother-in-law has been a substitute teacher for the past few years, and wanted to pursue a teaching career when he wasn't flying.
E-mail: jpage@ksl.com
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