Deputy, wife among 4 killed in Utah plane crash while sightseeing
Deputy Steven Eatchel and his wife, Lindsay. (Credit: Utah County Sheriff's Office)
CEDAR CITY, Utah - A Utah County Sheriff’s deputy, his wife and two other passengers were killed in a plane crash over the weekend in Utah.
Authorities said Deputy Steven Eatchel was piloting a small airplane on Saturday, flying out of Cedar City Regional Airport, located about 60 miles north of Zion National Park.
The group was heading to sightsee over Zion at the time of the crash, according to local news outlet KSL. The outlet identified the two other passengers as Eatchel’s brother and his girlfriend.
The Utah County Sheriff's Office said after takeoff, the plane turned east toward the mountains and crashed a few minutes later. Officers with Iron County Sheriff's Office responded and reported that there were no survivors of the crash.
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Eatchel worked for the sheriff’s office for nearly 12 years and was currently assigned to judicial services. He and his wife, Lindsay, leave behind four children.
"The Utah County Sheriff's Office expresses its sincerest condolences to the Eatchel family. His kind manner and ever present smile will be missed," authorities said in a news release.
The Federal Aviation Administration identified the plane as a Diamond DA40.
There was no immediate word on the cause of the crash.
This story was reported from Los Angeles.