EDEN, Utah — Two men are dead after a small airplane crashed near the Powder Mountain ski area Saturday morning.
According to the Weber Fire District, a single-engine aircraft crashed at the mountain just after 10 a.m.
Someone in the area saw the plane having trouble and called 911.
“Witnesses observed a plane flying low in the area,” said Lt. Cortney Ryan with the Weber County Sheriff’s Office. “They didn’t witness the plane go down but saw the low-flying aircraft and heard an explosion.”
Two adult males were inside the aircraft. First responders found one of those men outside the aircraft, deceased.
The second was alive, but with extensive burns. He was hoisted from the area of the crash by a medical helicopter and taken to the University of Utah burn unit.
He succumbed to his injuries later that evening.
The plane took off earlier in the morning from the Ogden airport. It’s unclear how long it was in the air prior to the crash or where it was headed.
Investigators indicated it may be a trainer aircraft.
The National Transportation Safety Board will lead an investigation into the crash with the help of the Federal Aviation Administration and local police.
“This is not something we routinely investigate, so we will do as much as we can and lean on them for some more expert opinions,” Lt. Ryan said.
Officials at the resort tweeted that the Paper Airplane trail was closed due to the crash and possible fire danger.
Weber Fire confirmed a small fire at the crash site was quickly contained.
