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Cedar Valley High School’s Aviators are not the first group of aviators in Eagle Mountain. Cedar Valley has been the home for Cedar Valley Airport, private runways and the Jake Garn Airport (now the location of the new Facebook Data Center). Cedar Valley is the valley located between the Oquirrh Mountain to the East, which Cedar Fort is at the foot hills of, and Lake Mountain to the west. There have been several aviation incidents in the Cedar Valley over the years.
In June 2018, a photographer, Tracy Paul Roesler, 48, from Nampa, Idaho, had his Cessna 320 plane crash on Lake Mountain in a remote area. Ashley Kewish a reporter for KSL on June 29, 2018 reported that “Pilot killed in plane crash in remote Utah County“. “The pilot of a small plane is dead following a plane crash in remote Utah County. Investigators spent most of Friday evening at the crash site, about four miles southwest from Saratoga Springs near Lake Mountain.” “The plane was out of Caldwell, Idaho, as part of a commercial photography operation said to be taking photos in the Cedar Valley area. The pilot was due to return Thursday but never checked in.” It is suspected that the plan crashed as it was leaving Cedar Valley on its way to Provo airport to refuel.
In Jan 2016 a plane crash killed two individuals that were traveling from Park City Utah to Tucson Arizona. Lisa Riley Roche a reporter for KSL reported on January 18, 2016 that Donald Baker, 59, and Dawn Hunter, 55, of Tucson, Arizona were killed when the plane they were in crashed East of SR 73 in Cedar Valley. “A twin-engine jet capable of carrying as many as 10 people went down about a mile east of state Route 73 in Cedar Fort, about three-quarters of a mile away from the nearest home, he said.” KUTV reported that, “Cannon said Baker had filed a flight plan from Salt Lake City to Tucson, but it appears the 1999 Cessna Citation 525 aircraft had some type of mechanical problem. The plane may have been on its way back to Salt Lake when the crash occurred, Cannon said. ”
On October 28, 2008, an experimental bi-plane crashed while doing aerobatic maneuvers by Cedar Valley airport. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) reported, “On October 28, 2008, about 1105 mountain daylight time, an amateur built Silfvast Starduster Too experimental biplane, N78DS, was destroyed when it impacted terrain while performing aerobatic maneuvers near Cedar Fort, Utah. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The private pilot and his commercial pilot rated passenger were killed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the local personal flight. The flight originated from Salt Lake City Municipal 2 Airport, West Jordan, Utah at an unknown time.” The Desert News on October 30, 2008 reported about the accident, in an articled entitled “Family, friends mourn aircraft enthusiast.” “He survived one crash in his hand-crafted Starduster Too more than 10 years ago, but David Arthur Silfvast couldn’t beat the odds twice. Family members are now mourning his loss after a second, this time fatal, crash Tuesday.” The article continues, “Silfvast, 62, of Salt Lake City, and his friend David Fay Edgerly, 71, of Lecanto, Fl were flying in Silfvast’s Starduster Too — most likely the same one he crashed in May 1997 in a field in South Jordan — when something went wrong over West Canyon, north of Cedar Fort in Utah County.” The article said this about Silfvast, “Along with crafting airplanes, Silfvast stayed busy creating stained-glass windows, working with wood and restoring old vehicles, according to the family’s Web site. A professional ballroom dancer and a successful amateur photographer, Silfvast also kept a beautiful yard and had recently developed a love of restoring old homes, his family wrote.”
On September 25, 1997, The American Fork Citizen on Sept 29, 1997 reported that a Cessna 172 flying from St. George to Lehi “was forced to make an emergency landing on a road near cedar Fort when an engine malfunction occurred. No one was injured and the plane was not damaged according to Jim Kelson, supervisor of the Salt Lake Flight Service office.”
On September 25, 1977, it is also reported that a plane crashed by Lake Mountain Road that killed the instructor. The June 10, 1997 Eagle Mountain City minutes references this plane accident. “John Jacob and Larry Patterson explained accident which occurred in 1977 on the mountain by Smith’s airstrip. The accident killed the instructor and there was no blame placed.” The aircraft being referenced was a Cessna 150K with tail number N5956G. The American Fork Citizen on Sept 29, 1997 reported that James David Sullivan from Glen Canyon City (Kane County UT) died from the accident and James R. Hanegan from Provo survived the crash. “The two men were apparently on a training flight from Cedar Valley Airport at about 8 p.m. Sunday when the pilot of the single engine plane made two attempts to land. It was, however to dark to make a safe landing on the unlighted runway, and the pilot headed for the Provo airport.. “As the plane was flying over a small hill southeast of the Cedar Valley Airport, it apparently struck the south end of the hill and bounced 60 yards north where it came to rest on its top. Both victims were thrown from the plane…”
On September 30, 1977, a Piper PA-32 with tail number N5400F crashed near Cedar Fort Utah. There were 7 passengers onboard with no survivors. The crash site was discovered on October 7th, 1977 by horse back riders in the area. The plane was in route from Huston to Salt Lake City so that the 7 passengers could attend the October 1977 general conference for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. The Lehi Free Press ran an article on the discovery of plane in their October 13, 1977 issue. The wreckage was discovered by Roland Smith, and his 13 year old son Todd. The article states, “The plane has been missing since Friday, Sept 30, en route to Salt Lake City from Huston, Texas. It contained seven occupants, nearly all in their 20’s, who were on their way to the LDS General Conference held that weekend.” The Lehi Free Press article continues, “The plane was piloted by Robert Butterworth, 25 of Huston. the others, also of Huston, were Terry Way 30; Carry Holt, 28; Jan Williamson, 25; Maxine Ferguson 22; Thomas Hunt, 22 and Bob Marsin, in his late 20’s” Ogden Standard Examiner, on October 8 1997, reported that the Federal Aviation Administration officials in Salt Lake City stated that bad weather in the area “may of obscured the mountain and contributed to the crash”.
I hope that current aviation history in the Cedar Valley does not continue for the Cedar Valley Aviators. Maybe a different mascot would of been in order. “Go Kestrels”
Supporting Documents
Lehi Free Press (October 13, 1977) American Fork Citizen (September 29, 1977) Ogden Standard Examiner (October 8, 1977)
Mike Kieffer is an IT geek by hobby and trade, with a BS in Information Systems & Technology. He is a proud father of 10, a grandpa, an author, a journalist, and internet publisher. His motto is to “Elevate, Inspire and Inform”, and he is politically conservative and a Christian. Mike has a passion for technology, writing, and helping others. With a wealth of experience, he is committed to sharing his knowledge with others to help them reach their full potential. He is known for his jackassery or his form of self-expression that encourages boldness, creativity, and risk-taking. It can be a way to push the boundaries and challenge traditional norms, leading to creative solutions and positive change.