Plane crash in Cedar City kills two SUU instructors

Two Upper Limit Aviation instructors were killed Monday afternoon when the Cessna 152 they were flying plunged into Quichapa Lake, a dry lake bed west of Cedar City. Both pilots' bodies were found at the scene of the crash.

According to an Iron County Sheriff’s Office press release, the ICSO, Cedar City Fire Department, Utah Highway Patrol and Gold Cross Ambulance responded to the scene after a 911 call was dispatched at about 1:01 p.m.

“It is unknown at this time what caused the plane to go down. There were two individuals in the plane with no survivors,” the release said.

Michael Mower, chief flight instructor at ULA, Southern Utah University's aviation program, said that both men were instructors with flight experience.

“Our chief instructor was training another instructor,” he said. “So it was two instructors doing proficiency training. They were both experienced guys.”

The weather at the time of the accident was not bad, Mower said. But as the recovery effort progressed, lightning and rain in the area made the sheriff's office clear the area.

“There is so much to speculate,” he said. “The winds were fine. We have a head recovery crew to recover aircraft, but they shut us down due to weather.”

The crews at ULA were busy working on helicopters and moving around equipment just like any other day, but the mood in the room was somber, and the loss of their brothers could be felt, Mower said.

“Everybody is pretty devastated,” he said. “When you lose one of your own, it is tough. I think for myself, we wanted to be out there when they recovered them so they had some brothers out there.”

SUU and ULA have a public-private relationship, and the aviation program has been offered at SUU's campus since May 2013. The university, in a press release, said there were no structures involved in the incident.

“Our hearts go out to the family and loved ones,” said SUU Provost Bradley J. Cook. “A tragedy of this nature penetrates all of us deeply.”

SUU President Scott Wyatt echoed those sentiments.

“We are deeply saddened by the loss," he said. "The family and friends will need support in this sad time."

Names of the men were not released as of Monday evening pending notification of next of kin. The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board have been notified of the accident and will be conducting investigations into the cause of the crash, ICSO officials said.

Monday’s crash was the third fatal plane accident in the Cedar City area since 2000, according to FAA accident records.

In October of 2007, a Woods Cross man and his brother died after their plane broke apart in mid-air during an uncontrolled descent over the mountains about 21 miles southeast of Cedar City. They had been flying at night after taking off late in the evening from Bountiful in northern Utah.

Another crash in January of 2004 killed a commercial pilot trainee and examiner after they crashed into a mountain about 16 miles northwest of the city during a check flight.

Follow Haven Scott @HavenWScott . Call him at 435-865-4522.

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