CEO and 3 family members identified as victims after private plane crashed into popular ski mountain
Tennessee businessman Austin Huskey has been named as one of the deceased
The four victims of a plane crash that occurred on Friday in the Colorado mountains have been identified after the incident left no survivors.
Around midnight on February 13, the Routt County Sheriff's Office in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, were alerted to a plane crash on the south-facing side of Emerald Mountain.
Routt County Sheriff Doug Scherar said the private aircraft, a six-seater Epic Aircraft E1000, was approaching Bob Adams Airport in Steamboat Springs at the time of the collision, and had set off from Kansas City Downtown Airport just a couple of hours earlier.
The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board, which investigate plane crashes, rushed to the scene afterwards and have now publicly identified the victims as Austin Huskey, 38, Aaron Stokes, 47, Stokes’ son Jakson, 21, and nephew, Colin, 21, New York Post reports.
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The families of the deceased reportedly received the sad news about their loved ones on Friday.
Huskey was the third-generation boss of Huskey Building Supply in Franklin, Tennessee, while Stokes was a 'self-made millionaire' who founded Shop Fix Academy in the same city.
Huskey Building Society shared a photo of its late CEO on Instagram where they confirmed Huskey's passing.
"With heavy hearts, we grieve the unexpected passing of our CEO, Austin Huskey. Austin was a fearless leader, a gracious man, a devoted father and husband, and a faithful follower of Christ," part of the post read.
It added of the 38-year-old: "His love was felt in every room he entered, giving time to everyone he came into contact with. No voice was too small, no opinion too little. Austin placed a premium on listening to every person under his stewardship and empowering them to grow and succeed."
Elsewhere, an obituary has been shared online for Stokes which described him as 'a visionary entrepreneur, mentor, and beloved family man'.
It goes on to read: "Aaron Stokes was widely recognized as the founder of Shop Fix Academy, an organization dedicated to empowering independent auto repair shop owners. A self-made multi-millionaire with 25 years of entrepreneurial experience, Aaron’s influence extended significantly within the industry.
"He successfully owned and operated five auto repair shops and hosted the popular radio show 'Fixin' Cars with Aaron Stokes',"
A cause of the fatal crash and who was flying the aircraft is yet to be revealed.
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Niamh Shackleton