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Yesterday a small airplane ran into the ground in a field right outside of Monticello. Three men were killed, including two Blanding City Council members.
Today, federal investigators are trying to figure out how and why the plane went down.
Today we got a closer look at the wreckage. Our cameras were just 50 feet from the mangled Piper airplane as the National Transportation Safety Board began its investigation. Investigators will be looking at several pieces of physical evidence, plus interviewing witnesses.
NTSB investigator Josh Cawthra said, "There were no physical eyewitnesses to the accident, but there were witnesses that heard the airplane flying and heard it flying previous to the accident."
Two Blanding City Council members died in this crash. They are Brian Bayles and pilot Eric Johnson. Also killed was former Blanding council member Kim Acton.
The three took off from Blanding airport yesterday around 6:30 in the morning. They were scouting big game and elk when their plane went down in a Monticello field just a half-hour after take-off.
NTSB investigators say the wing hit the ground then severed from the plane. But what is still unknown is why that happened.
"We'll look at the airplane, the engine for any anomalies that prevented normal operation," Cawthra said.
Meanwhile, a small town prepares to bury three of its public servants.
Eric Johnson's uncle, David Johnson, said, "I don't remember a time when three prominent men of such great caliber were taken at one time."
The three men grew up together and helped shape the town where their lives started. Sadly, they'll be buried this week.
Investigators say they'll put out a preliminary report on any developments by Friday. Meanwhile, Eric Johnson's family has set up an account for donations at any Zion's Bank under the name Denise Johnson.
E-mail: gkennedy@ksl.com
