Deaths of 10 stun Cedar City
The plane's pilot, as well as nine employees of the Red Canyon Aesthetics and Medical Spa dermatology clinic, were killed Friday night shortly after the plane took off from Canyonlands Field Airport northwest of Moab.
"The plane was completely engulfed in flames," said Grand County Sheriff James Nyland.
At the crash sight Saturday, officials from the state medical examiner's office had the grim task of removing the burned bodies from the wreckage. One by one, the bodies were taken from the debris, wrapped in plastic, put into red body bags, loaded onto the back of a six-wheel ATV and taken to a truck at the top of a hill above the crash site. From there, the bodies were to be transported to the medical examiner's office.
The last body was removed from the site a little after 3 p.m. The wreckage and the bodies were burned so badly that it was impossible to those not professionally trained to distinguish one from the other. The National Transportation Safety Board, the lead agency in the investigation, estimated its investigators, along with those from the Federal Aviation Administration, would be at the crash site for three to five days, said NTSB accident investigator Josh Cawthra.
NTSB officials said they think a preliminary report on the crash will come out within the next five to 10 days. As of Saturday afternoon, they would not speculate on the possible cause of the incident.
The plane was used as part of a time-share between the dermatology clinic and the Leavitt Group, according to Dane Leavitt, the company's chief executive officer.
Those killed were pilot David White; Dr. Lansing Ellsworth, the clinic director; David Goddard, a medical assistant; Mandy Johnson; Marcie Tillery, 29; Valerie Imlay, 52; Keith Shumway, 29; Dallin Ellsworth, 23; Camie Vigil, 25; and Cecilee Goddard, 31.
Once a month, Dr. Ellsworth, a dermatologist, traveled to Moab to see as many patients as he could in a day. They traveled to Moab Friday to provide cancer screening and treatment to local residents.
Leavitt, whose brother is Mike Leavitt, former Utah governor and the U.S. secretary of Health and Human Services, said the plane was transporting half of Dr. Ellsworth's dermatology staff. According to Leavitt, half of the clinic operated in a medical office, with the other half traveling on a daily basis to outlying communities that would otherwise be unable to receive their services.
Recent comments
Val was my young women’s leader and she was the most amazing person…
Eryn Tripp | Sept. 4, 2008 at 8:39 p.m.
I have been going to Dr Ellsworth in Page for about 3 years and got…
Mary Lou | Aug. 26, 2008 at 3:23 p.m.
My heart aches for for the small town I now call home. I've met some…
Janett | Aug. 26, 2008 at 2:34 p.m.
