Two Dead After Small Plane Crash In Weber County

EDEN, Utah — Two men passed away after officials said their plane crashed near the Powder Mountain Ski Resort in Weber County.

Officials with the Weber Fire District said someone called dispatch just after 10 a.m. Saturday saying they had witnessed a small plane crash into the mountain.

“Saw the low-flying aircraft and then heard an explosion,” said Lt. Courtney Ryan with the Weber County Sheriff’s Office.

When crews arrived, they found one man outside the single engine plane and pronounced him dead at the scene.

The second male passenger, who suffered second and third degree burns, was found alive inside the aircraft.

“Pretty serious condition, critical,” said Ryan.

He was hoisted by a LifeFlight helicopter and flown by AirLife to the University of Utah Burn Center, according to Deputy Chief Marshal David Reed with the Weber Fire District.

Ryan said the man later died from his injuries at the hospital.

According to @WeberFireDist, this was a single engine plane. When crews arrived, they found one man out of the plane who had died. The other man was alive with burns and taken to a hospital in a medical helicopter. Fire crews contained a small fire caused by the plane. pic.twitter.com/Yo9WXdZudM

— Alex Cabrero (@KSL_AlexCabrero) May 29, 2021

 

A small fire started as a result of the plane crash, but Reed said crews were able to contain it.

An investigation has since been opened into what exactly caused the crash.

“These are difficult scenes to investigate,” said Ryan.

Detectives know the small plane left the Ogden Airport, but after that is a bit of a mystery.

“Obviously, our partners with the NTSB and FAA will get involved in this as well,” said Ryan.

Federal Aviation Administration investigators will try to answer exactly what went wrong in the air.

“We’ll do as much as we can and then lean on them for some expert opinions on that,” said Ryan.

Powder Mountain officials announced the Paper Airplane Trail, Baggage Claim Trail, Brim Trail parking area and Lefty’s Canyon (Village Lift) area would be closed to all traffic until Monday, May 31st in order for the FAA to conduct their investigation.

Photos from this morning’s plane crash in Eden. pic.twitter.com/6RdSYI8CIz

— Weber Fire District (@WeberFireDist) May 29, 2021

Officers identified the victims Sunday afternoon as 26-year-old Devin Criddle of Draper and 21-year-old Braeden Raleigh of Salt Lake City.

The Criddle family released a statement on the plane crash later that day:

“Our family is heartbroken over the loss of Devin. He was an amazing man that constantly put the needs of others first. Grief is the price we pay for loving someone, and that price is worth it. We also grieve with the loved ones of the pilot of the plane, Braedan Raleigh, and pray for them. Devin was a wonderful son, brother, and friend. He dreamed of becoming a pilot and this flight was his first step on that path. We will dearly miss his energetic personality and compassionate disposition, but we have faith in the eternal nature of our family and we look forward to our reunion with Devin. We are grateful to all those who are supporting and comforting our family through this difficult time.”

A GoFundMe* account has been set up in memory of Devin Cirddle.