Pilot in Monday’s fatal Provo airport crash identified

PROVO, Utah — The man who died after a small aircraft crash at Provo Municiple Airport has been identified as Nathan Ricks. Ricks was piloting the plane and had three passengers on board when the plane crashed immediately after takeoff.  

Friends told KSL TV reporter Karah Brackin that Ricks died as he was taking his wife and two friends to the Rose Bowl game in California. 

Ricks’ wife was originally taken to the hospital, but friends told KSL that she has been released.

Ricks was a well-known Provo businessman, and a top distributor of Nu Skin, a Provo-based company. His distributors are responsible for nearly $1 billion in sales of Nu Skin products each year.

Ricks, a graduate of BYU, is also the founder of One Team Global, a worldwide sales organization with over 500,000 distributors in 54 countries.

Diana Zisselman is a family friend of Ricks. She told KSL TV that Ricks was very cautious. He had been flying his own plane for years, and that he never took unnecessary risks.

In Facebook posts, people have been sending well wishes and sharing their heartbreak.

 

Officials said Tuesday the airport will remain closed through at least Wednesday as the investigation into Provo crash continues. 

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