The daughter and son-in-law of a Utah state legislator and Provo city councilwoman are in critical condition and face a long road to recovery after a plane crash Saturday night in eastern Arizona.

Stephanie Nielson, daughter of Rep. Stephen Clark, R—Provo, and Provo City Councilwoman Cindy Clark, Stephanie's husband, Christian, and their flight instructor were flying home to Mesa, Ariz., by private plane when they heard a storm was coming, said Stephanie Nielson's older sister Courtney Kendrick. They tried to skirt the storm, but the plane crashed shortly after taking off from an airport in St. Johns, Ariz.

The flight instructor, Doug Kinneard, also of Mesa, died days after the crash. Stephanie Nielson and Christian Nielson are in critical condition in a Phoenix hospital, Kendrick said. He received burns over 30 percent of his body, and she received burns over 50 to 80 percent of her body.

"It's not pretty," Kendrick said.

Doctors told Kendrick the two face a long road to recovery. She said their family has been doing well considering the circumstances. They're tending to the Nielson's children.

"Stephanie and Christian have a very strong faith," Kendrick said. "We're all just holding on to that, too."

Kendrick said her sister is the author of www.nieniedialogues.blogspot.com, a popular blog in Utah.

Two donation accounts have been set up for the Nielsons: the "Christian and Stephanie Rehab Fund" at Bank of America and the "Stephanie Nielson Fund" at Wells Fargo.

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E-mail: jdana@desnews.com