“We weren’t ready to let him go”: Family honors Pocatello pilot killed in Blackfoot crash

UPDATE: 11:50 PM

BLACKFOOT, Idaho (KIFI) — The Bingham County Coroner’s Office has identified the pilot killed in Saturday night’s single-engine plane crash near the Blackfoot Airport as 27-year-old Caden Max West of Pocatello.

According to the Blackfoot Police Department, the crash occurred around 11:00 p.m. Bingham County Coroner Jimmy Roberts confirmed the fatality Sunday morning, reporting that two passengers were rushed to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center with severe injuries.

In a poignant social media post, Caden’s father, Jason West, revealed that the two surviving passengers were Caden's brother, Myles, and a close family friend.

"We weren't ready to let him go": Family Honors Caden West

According to the post, Caden was a graduate of Brigham Young University-Idaho with a degree in finance. His father's post characterizes him as an Eagle Scout, notes he served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Cincinnati, Ohio, and spent two years working on a film crew covering the Alaska Iditarod.

Above all, his family remembered his deep passion for flying, which he shared with those around him.

"Caden loved to fly. He was working toward the airlines — that was the plan, that was the dream, and he was chasing it hard," Jason West shared. "Caden and his brothers talked every single day. They were best friends. They wanted to be him, and he loved them right back. He was a delight to his mother. He and I had our own language — flying, business, motorcycles, investing — and I will miss those conversations for the rest of my life."

Reflecting on the loss, West noted that Caden now joins his grandfathers, Max Hanks and Henry West. "That reunion is bittersweet from where we're standing. We're glad they have him. We just weren't ready to let him go."

Coroner Jimmy Roberts extended his condolences on behalf of the community: "We ask that you keep Mr. West’s family and the passengers in your thoughts and prayers."

The cause of the crash is currently under investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), and the Bingham County Coroner’s Office.

ORIGINAL:

BLACKFOOT, Idaho (KIFI) — A 27-year-old pilot has died following a single-engine plane crash late Saturday night near the north end of the Blackfoot Airport.

The crash happened around 11:00 p.m., according to the Blackfoot Police Department. Bingham County Coroner Jimmy Roberts confirmed the fatality Sunday morning, adding that two passengers were rushed to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center. Their conditions and the identity of the pilot remain unknown.

Following the crash, police say the plane came to rest across Teeples Drive, leaving a trail of debris that blocked the roadway. Authorities expect Teeples Drive to remain closed through Sunday while crews continue to investigate the scene.

Due to the closure, police are asking the public to avoid the area. Emergency traffic has been directed to use the gravel access road from South Von Elm when exiting the Champions Gate subdivision.

"If you need to access Champions Gate, please use the gravel road located at 100 North from Rose Road. This temporary route is intended for residents only; all other traffic is asked to avoid the area," states the BPD in a press release.

The cause of the crash is currently under investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), and the Bingham County Coroner’s Office.

This is a developing story. Local News 8 will provide updates as new information becomes available.