Two brothers from Utah died in Arizona Strip plane crash

Mourners in Davis County held a memorial Monday night for two teenage brothers who died this weekend when their plane crashed near the Utah-Arizona border.

Daulton Whatcott, 19, and his brother, Jaxon Whatcott, 16, both of Clinton, were the two occupants of a single-engine Cessna 172 that was flying from Beaver, Utah, to Mesquite, Nev., when it went down about 7:30 p.m. Sunday, according to sheriff's officials in Mohave County, Ariz.

Daulton had recently received his pilot license and was flying Jaxon to a basketball tournament in Las Vegas, said Whatcott family spokeswoman Taunie Reynolds.

Both brothers were athletes at Syracuse High School; Daulton graduated in 2013, and Jaxon was to begin his junior year in the fall.

A memorial was set for Monday at 1962 Ridge Point Drive, and a candlelight vigil was scheduled for 9:30 p.m. Tuesday on the lacrosse fields at Clinton City Park, 2267 North 1500 West.

Daulton "was an amazing athlete and played many sports in his high school career at Syracuse High School. He will be remembered for his harmonica playing and his charming personality," Reynolds wrote in a family statement. "... Jaxon was fun loving and made everyone around him laugh."

A check of the FAA's aircraft records showed the plane was registered to D&G Aircraft Leasing in Bountiful, Utah. D&G Aircraft officials could not immediately be reached Monday.

The aircraft crashed about 150 feet south of Interstate 15, just south of the Virgin River Gorge and about 25 miles southwest of St. George, Utah, said the Mohave County (Ariz.) Sheriff's Department.

The brothers' bodies were recovered Monday morning, according to the sheriff's office.

The cause of the crash was being investigated by the FAA and National Transportation Safety Board.

remims@sltrib.com

Twitter: @remims