Thomas “Brook” Summers, 39, a dentist, his wife Heidi, 36; Jerry “Dave” Anderson, 40, a sales representative at Andersen Hitches, and his wife Jessica, 38, all perished after a small airplane crashed one mile north of the Alpine (Wyoming) Airport, a Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office news release said. All were of Idaho Falls.
The plane, piloted by Dave Anderson, crashed shortly after taking off from the Alpine airport early Sunday. The National Transportation and Safety Board is investigating the crash.
Ryan Andersen, owner of Andersen Hitches, said all the victims were great people who cared deeply about their families. Andersen said Dave Anderson was a “family guy,” and leaves behind three children ages 10 to 15.
The Summers were the Andersons’ neighbors and they have four children.
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“They’re just great people,” Andersen said. “What a great two couples.”
Bonneville County Sheriff’s Sgt. Karl Noah said a cause for the crash remains under investigation. The accident occurred many hours prior to the call for assistance, a Sheriff’s Office news release said. The airplane, a 1958 Cessna four-passenger plane, was completely burned.
Investigators continue to gather forensic identification of the bodies and remove crash debris from the site, the release said.
This marks the fourth small airplane crash and third fatal plane crash near the Palisades Reservoir in the past year.
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