All 6 victims killed in Truckee-Tahoe Airport jet crash identified by coroner
Sheriff’s officials have formally identified the six people killed when a jet crashed near Truckee-Tahoe Airport last week.
Two of the victims were from California, two were from Minnesota, one was from Texas and one was from Mexico, Nevada County Sheriff’s officials confirmed Wednesday.
Family members had previously, unofficially identified Thomas Bret Ebaugh, 56, as one of the pilots in the crash. Colleagues also said Ryan Thomas, 38, and Christine Thomas, 33, founders of real estate agency Hideaway Properties in La Quinta, died in the crash, along with 34-year-old Kevin Kvarnlov, a Hideaway associate.
Nevada County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Andrew Trygg confirmed those four identities as well as both remaining victims: 43-year-old Alberto Montero De Collado De La Rosa of Mexico, and 62-year-old John Dunn of Dallas. Authorities gave Ebaugh’s residence as Lakeville, Minn., and Kvarnlov’s as Mendota Heights, Minn.
Trygg added that both Ebaugh and Montero De Collado De La Rosa were the pilots.
Officials had said previously that the identification process would take a few months due to the fire that sparked after the crash. Trygg said the process happened much faster than expected because the Sheriff’s Office was able to acquire DNA evidence from a family member and officials had obtained surveillance footage from Coeur D’Alene Airport, the jet’s departure location.
The incident involved a Bombardier Challenger series jet that was attempting to land at Truckee-Tahoe Airport, when it crashed and started a quarter-acre fire near Ponderosa Golf Course, according to local law enforcement and the Federal Aviation Administration.
The FAA reported the flight, which had been scheduled to travel from Coeur D’Alene in Idaho before continuing to Thermal in Riverside County and finally to Van Nuys Airport in Los Angeles, had four passengers and two crew members on board.
This story was originally published August 4, 2021 at 1:43 PM.
