Authorities identify two killed in Virgin River Gorge plane crash

Two teenage brothers from Utah were killed when a small plane crashed Sunday in northwest Arizona, authorities said. The Mohave County Sheriff’s Office identified the victims of the crash as the pilot, Daulton Rey Whatcott, 19, and Jason McKee Whatcott, 16, of Clinton City.

Office spokeswoman Trish Carter said deputies responded to the crash scene, near Interstate 15 south of the Virgin River Gorge, at 6:29 p.m.

“Deputies confirmed two people did not survive the crash and no other occupants were onboard,” Carter said.

Carter said the Whatcotts were flying from Bountiful, Utah to Mesquite, Nevada. She had no information regarding who owned the 1969 Cessna 172k fixed wing single-engine aircraft.

The bodies of the victims have been recovered. Federal authorities are investigating the cause of the crash.

It was the second plane to go down in Arizona Sunday. Authorities say four people died earlier in a crash near Sedona.

The crash near Sedona was reported around 3 p.m. Sunday, when hikers in the Bear Mountain area reported the crash and a possible fire, according to the FAA.

The sheriff’s office says fire crews found the single-engine plane about 6 p.m. in Fay Canyon.

The Arizona Republic reported that firefighters, including helicopters and ground crews, responded.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.