Holly MatkinCedar City, UT – Utah County Sheriff’s Office (UCSO) Deputy Steven Eatchel died in an off-duty plane crash while on a sightseeing trip on Saturday.
Deputy Eatchel piloted the plane from Spanish Fork Municipal Airport to Cedar City with his wife, Lindsay, his brother, Thomas, and his brother’s girlfriend, Danielle Deagostini to visit another of his brothers, KSL reported.
The group spent just over an hour in Cedar City before taking back to the air for a sightseeing tour over Zion National Park, according to the Iron County Sheriff’s Office (ICSO).
Iron County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue (ICSSAR) received an alert at approximately 7:38 p.m. on April 23 that a plane had crashed about five miles outside of town, the ICSSAR said in a Facebook post on Sunday.
“Iron County Sheriff’s Office officials responded and reported that there were no survivors of the crash,” the UCSO said in a press release.
Twenty-two ICSSAR volunteers responded to the scene to help locate the four victims, all of whom were transported from the scene to the mortuary by 11 p.m.
The ICSSAR remained at the scene until the National Transportation and Security Board’s investigation was complete.
The cause of the crash has not been released.
“Our hearts and prayers are with the family and friends of this somber and unfortunate airplane crash,” the ICSSAR said.
Deputy Eatchel served the UCSO for 12 years, working in the courtroom and in corrections, UCSO Sergeant Spencer Cannon told KSL.
He and his wife have four young children.
“It’s a tragedy that’s going to stick with us, and the tragedy’s compounded by the fact that he’s got four kids that he’s left behind now, that they’ve left behind — he and his wife Lindsay,” Sgt. Cannon said. “It’s hard to imagine what it must be like for the rest of the family who are now caring for those children, and how do you explain this to them that mom and dad aren’t coming home again? And that’s a hard pill to swallow.”
Fundraising campaigns established to help the victims’ families have raised a combined total of more than $25,000 so far.
“The Utah County Sheriff’s Office expresses its sincerest condolences to the Eatchel family,” the sheriff’s office said in the press release. “His kind manner and ever present smile will be missed.”
Help Steven and Lindsay Eatchel memorial
https://t.co/eqT5boF7lI— Shareen (@WearBlue1) April 25, 2022
Four people killed in a plane crash near Cedar City over the weekend
An aerial look from @KSLChopper5 #KSLTV pic.twitter.com/kak5FyKTVc
— Derek Petersen (@Derek_Photog) April 25, 2022
N321PF Plane Crash Cedar City Utah pic.twitter.com/JjJ6XfFudV
— FSX Aviation (@FSXAviation3) April 24, 2022
#BREAKING: As confirmed by @UCSO, Deputy Steven Eatchel passed away in a plane crash outside of @CedarCityUtah last night.
Deputy Eatchel worked in the Utah County Jail and has been with UCSO since 2010. Three others died in the crash including Eatchel's wife. pic.twitter.com/CkwTIJu1wQ
— 𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐞𝐞 (@brian_schnee) April 24, 2022
Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of Utah County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Steven Eatchel, both blood and blue. Thank you for your service.
Rest easy, hero. We’ll hold the line from here.
Sandy Malone
