Officials identify Idaho man who died in Utah plane crash

SARATOGA SPRINGS, Utah — The pilot who died in a plane crash in a remote part of Utah County on Friday has been identified, officials said Saturday.

Tracy Paul Roesler, 48, died when his plane crashed near Lake Mountain, directly west of Utah Lake, Utah County Sheriff’s Department officials said in an emailed statement. He was from Nampa, Idaho.

Roesler’s sister, Wendy Roesler LeDuff, told KSL her brother was an avid outdoorsman who loved hunting, fishing and boating.

“He was always in a great mood and just wanted to live life to the fullest,” LeDuff said. “If anyone needed anything he was always there to lend a helping hand.”

The wreckage from the plane crash was found on Friday afternoon on the south end of Lake Mountain, officials said Friday. As of Saturday, it was not known exactly when the plane crashed.

Details about the cause of the crash remained unknown on Saturday.

Friday, Utah County Sheriff’s Department Sgt. Spencer Cannon said the pilot had taken off from Caldwell, Idaho on Thursday and was on a commercial photography flight. He was scheduled to stop at the Provo Airport for refueling and then return to Caldwell between 5 and 6 p.m. Thursday.

About 4:30 p.m., one of Roesler’s coworkers became concerned because he hadn’t heard from the pilot, and when Roesler didn’t return, authorities were notified, Cannon said.

The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the crash, and the Utah County Sheriff’s Department will be investigating the circumstances of Roesler’s death.

Civil Air Patrol and Utah Department of Public Safety also assisted with the search for the plane, Cannon said.