Two young men are dead after a small plane went down near Prescott.
On Saturday morning the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office was notified about a missing plane that took off from Prescott Airport at least 24 hours before.
According to a YCSO spokesperson, a search was initiated around noon after authorities learned that a single-engine Cessna had gone missing with 19-year-old Spencer Kihlstrom and 19-year-old Jeremiah Linnertz of Chino Valley.
According to Linnertz's mother, Wendy Windsor, no one in their family was aware that the pair was flying that day. Wendy said Friday evening was very windy and she believes weather may have played a factor in the incident.
"He was just a wonderful person," Windsor said. "He would give you the shirt right off his back."
Linnertz was a father of two kids, a 1-year-old daughter and a 4-month-old son.
"His little boy looks so much like him," she explained. "Just like a carbon copy of him. He's just a doll and I had to hold him for awhile yesterday."
Spencer Kihlstrom's mother, Eileen Elliott, said her son was a great kid and was working three jobs to get through college. She told ABC15 both men had flown multiple times together.
“I feel like the luckiest woman in the world to have a son just like him," Elliott said.
Around 1 p.m. rescue crews spotted the downed plane near Perkinsville Ranch, which is just east of Paulden.
"They [authorities] pinged their cell phones," Windsor said. "They found the plane and they found the cell phones pinging to the same spot."
When crews reached the plane it was discovered that two had died at the scene. Officials are working to recover their bodies and the Arizona Department of Public Safety is assisting.
A Gofundme has been set up to help the victims of the crash.
