Father and Two Sons Die in Colorado Plane Crash

A father and his two teenage sons died Saturday when the small plane they were traveling in crashed in a remote area of western Colorado. Mark Hendrickson, 46, was piloting the aircraft with his sons, Alan, 15, and Case, 13, when it went down near Swampy Pass in Gunnison National Forest.

Gunnison County officials confirmed that all three occupants were pronounced dead at the scene. The family, from New Castle in Garfield County, is survived by Hendrickson's wife, Jenni, and another son, Coen.

Niccole Ruby Hendrickson, the boys' aunt, confirmed the tragedy online, sharing a statement from her sister-in-law, Jenni Hendrickson. "My loves of my life, Mark and our two beautiful boys Alan and Case tragically passed away in a plane crash yesterday," Jenni Hendrickson wrote. "Our family's world is broken. Thank you for loving each of them and for holding us in your hearts and prayers."

Mark Hendrickson, 46, was piloting the plane and his two sons, Alan, 15, and Case, 13, were also on board when the plane crashed near Swampy Pass in Gunnison National Forest

Emergency responders were alerted to the crash around 9:20 a.m. on Saturday following a 911 call. Authorities have not yet released the type of aircraft, its destination, or the cause of the crash.

The incident is under investigation by the Gunnison County Sheriff's Office, the National Transportation Safety Board, the Federal Aviation Administration, and the U.S. Forest Service. The Gunnison County Sheriff's Office extended its condolences to the Hendrickson family.

Mark is pictured here with his three sons. Alan and Case, pictured with their surviving brother, also died in the plane crash

Father and Two Sons Die in Colorado Plane Crash

A father piloting a small plane and his two teenage sons were killed when the aircraft crashed in a remote area of Colorado's Gunnison National Forest.

Sources