PROVO — One of the instructors killed in an airplane crash Thursday was exulting with a flying buddy just that morning about the joy of flying.
"I don't remember which one of us said it, but we were flying along at 7,000 feet and saying, 'Isn't this the coolest thing?' " said Greg Soter.
Soter flew often with Michael Burk, 47, of Pleasant Grove, who once told him he's (Burk) been a pilot in his head and heart since he was 10 years old.
"He was just a happy, upbeat, positive, friendly kind of guy who loved to fly."
Burk was one of the three Utah County men who died Thursday when the twin-engine Cessna 310 inexplicably nose-dived into the ground west of Provo enroute to the Provo Municipal Airport.
Also killed were Todd Heiner, 42, of Provo, and Jared F. Jorgensen, 32, of Orem, who was a certified flight instructor out of Sheridan, Wyo.
Ray Rawlins, a part-time instructor at Advantage Aviation, described Heiner as a nice guy who wanted to become an airline pilot.
"I just talked with him yesterday," Rawlins said. According to Rawlins, Heiner leaves behind a wife and three small children.
The trio were flying an Advantage Aviation aircraft. Burk and Heiner were helping Jorgensen certify on the twin-engine plane.
Utah County Sheriff's Sgt. Dennis Harris said the accident occurred at approximately 5:39 p.m. in a pasture west of the Lakeshore Road in Provo.
Jeff and Russ Johnson, who live near the crash site, were playing a game of catch when they noticed an airplane overhead doing funny stuff. The next thing they knew, the plane, which they said "stood straight up and down and then tipped over," nose-dived to the ground. The boys said the plane turned into a fireball.
Their mother, Debbie Johnson, wasn't sure she believed her sons when they came running in with the news.
"But they were pretty upset so I went outside to look. All I saw was the smoke," Debbie Johnson said. "I called the police."
"We were playing catch and saw a plane up and down and then it tipped over. Then there was this big fireball," said Jeff, 13. "We didn't really hear the engine."
"The plane, it was coming east and started turning south. It stalled and started going nose down," said 12-year-old Russ.
Harris said as of Friday morning, the cause of the crash was still unknown but the three men were confirmed dead at the scene. He said weather could have been a factor in bringing craft down.
Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board officials flew in Friday to investigate.
Harris said the plane was badly burned and the mangled wreckage showed significant impact, which indicates a nose impact rather than a plane skidding along the ground.
Soter said he's concerned because people tend to decry recreational flying whenever something like this happens.
"The one reason I want to comment is that while we all know it's sad, there's so much joy that comes from flying. There is such an intense level of joy that you can't not fly!" Soter said.
Soter said Burk and Heiner left other careers to take up teaching as flight instructors.
"That's symptomatic of those who love aviation," Soter said.
Soter said Advantage Aviation has a good reputation as an aviation service.
He also said Burk and Heiner were careful pilots, as are most pilots who stay very long in the business.
"As fun as it is, boy, you've got to be careful. It's an unforgiving sport," he said.
E-MAIL: haddoc@desnews.com