ANCHORAGE, Alaska—
An inseparable family, with the perfect life, that's how friends and family members describe the Carlson family killed in this weekend's plane crash near Trapper Creek. "Corey was a very loving father and Hetty was a beautiful young woman with two beautiful children," said Bill Sedwick, a longtime family friend.
Pilot Corey Carlson, 41, his 39-year-old wife Hetty Barnett Carlson and their two daughters, 3-year-old Adelaide "Addie" and 5-year-old Ella, were killed when their Cessna 180 hit the ground just before 2:15 p.m. Saturday and burst into flames near Amber Lake.
"It is not something they are going to get over, we'll try to have to learn to live with it," said Sedwick Monday morning.
Both Corey and Hetty's families have lived in Alaska for generations.
"Here was two people that felt totally safe in the air," said Melo "Buzz" Jackovich, Hetty's Uncle. "We all fly, everybody flies around alaska and we don't comprehend that something like this would really happen and we would lose everybody."
"Hetty grew up in an Alaska aviation family and Corey was helping to continue that tradition," said Kerri O'Neill, Hetty's best friend.
Friends describe Hetty as a true Alaska girl who loved the outdoors and playing sports.
"(Hetty) could kick anyone's butt on a bike on a ski hill, doing any sport that you wanted to challenge her with and she could be the cutest little thing too," said O'Neill.
She found a perfect partner in Corey.
"Corey was a very loving father," said Sedwick.
The other aircraft involved in the accident, a floatplane with only 56-year-old pilot Kevin Earp of Eagle River on board, suffered some damage but was able to safely make an emergency landing at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport.
"We are all very thankful that he was able to land safely," said O'Neill. "I know Hetty and Corey's families are keeping them very close to their hearts."
The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration are investigating the crash.
