Three Killed in Plane Crash in Northeastern Nevada

ELKO, Nev. (AP) — Authorities have identified three people from Arizona killed in a plane crash in a remote area of northeastern Nevada.

Elko County officials said the crash occurred Friday night in Gushute Valley 20 miles (32 kilometers) northeast of Currie, Nevada, near the Utah border and the bodies were recovered Saturday.

Chief Deputy Coroner Nick Czegledi identified the victims as 48-year-old Thomas Kvanvig, 49-year-old Stacie Kvanvig and 8-year-old Daniel Kvanvig.

“I have every reason to believe that they are his wife and son,” Czegledi said.

Authorities said Thomas Kvanvig was a longtime engineer with Intel Corp. in Chandler, Arizona, and the small plane was registered to him.

Online flight records show the Beechcraft BE35 Bonanza took off from Chandler Municipal Airport about 9:30 a.m. Friday and was last seen two hours later in Colorado City in northwestern Arizona.

Czegledi said the plane apparently was trying to land for unknown reasons and came down hard with its nose down.

He said the U.S. Air Force notified the county Sheriff’s Office about a possible plane crash and provided coordinates.

Federal Aviation Adminstration spokesman Allen Kenitzer said Sunday that the plane crashed under unknown circumstances and didn’t have any other information to release.

He said the FAA and National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the cause.