Police identify two men killed in small plane crash

UTAH NATIONAL GUARD – The deadly crash that killed two people in Butterfield Canyon has left the Utah National Guard in mourning.

Just hours after the crash happened, officials within the Utah National Guard say they heard rumblings Captain Nicholas Thomas was involved.  Shortly after that, Lieutenant Colonel Steven Fairbourn says they were shown pictures of Thomas in that plane before it left the airport.

(Photo Credit: Utah National Guard)

Fairbourn says, “[Thomas] was a company commander within the first of the 211^th ARB, which in an attack reconnaissance battalion.  He was an expert within army aviation and the Apache helicopter.”  He says Thomas’ death is weighing heavy on the rest of the base.  “The people who worked closely with him speak tremendously highly of him.  He was a tremendous leader, a tremendous soldier a tremendous citizen and he will be sorely missed, “Fairbourn says.

An officer has been assigned to help Thomas’s family navigate how to get their military benefits.  Fairbourn adds, “Their focus needs to be on their grieving process and focusing on their family.”  He says their hearts also go out to the family of Jacob McGoldrick, who was not a member of the Utah National Guard.