A HEARTBROKEN mum has paid an emotional tribute to the “loves of my life” after her husband and two young sons were killed in a horror mountain plane crash.
Mark Hendrickson, 46, died alongside his boys, Alan, 15, and Case, 13, after their small aircraft plunged into a remote patch of forest in Colorado.
In a touching statement released on Sunday, grieving mum Jenni said her entire world had been “broken” by the devastating crash.
She wrote: “I never thought I would have to write these words. The loves of my life, Mark and our two beautiful boys Alan and Case, tragically passed away in a plane crash yesterday.
“Our family’s world is broken. Thank you for loving each of them and for holding us in your hearts and prayers.”
The boys’ devastated aunt, Niccole Ruby Hendrickson, confirmed the deaths online as she pleaded for support for the shattered family.
She said: “Dearest friends and family, we ask for your prayers as we process the unthinkable. Yesterday my husband Scott’s brother Mark and our two nephews Alan & Case tragically lost their lives in a plane crash.
“We need you to wrap our sister-in-law, their son / brother Coen, my in-laws, my husband, kids and family in unrelenting prayers.”
Emergency services rushed to an area near Swampy Pass in Gunnison National Forest on Saturday morning after a nearby resident witnessed a plane coming down.
Mark and his two sons were pronounced dead at the scene, Gunnison County officials said.
The plane involved is understood to be a single-engine Piper PA-28 Cherokee – although authorities are yet to reveal what caused the light aircraft to plummet to the ground.
Dad-of-three Mark held a private pilot’s licence from at least 2023 and was authorised to fly single-engine, fixed-wing aircraft, according to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records.
Gunnison County said it “extends its deepest condolences to the Hendrickson family during this difficult time”.
“The Hendrickson family wishes to express their sincere gratitude for the respect, compassion and support they have received following this devastating tragedy,” officials added.
“Additional information regarding the investigation will be released by the appropriate investigating agencies as it becomes available.”
A probe into the crash is underway involving the Gunnison County Sheriff’s Office, National Transportation Safety Board, FAA and U.S. Forest Service.
The tragedy comes after , leaving six people dead.
All five adults and the youngster aboard the doomed aircraft were found dead as emergency crews raced to the wreckage.
Investigators are now probing whether severe played a role in the tragedy after the plane reportedly made contact with air traffic control shortly before crashing.
The six-seater Piper aircraft came down at around 9.30pm on October 13 near Mirror Lake State Park in .
It had taken off from Kenosha and was heading to Menomonie when disaster struck.
Despite the devastating impact, no other people, nearby or other properties were damaged.
