Grandnephew of Meeker man killed in plane crash

MEEKER I The bodies of four young people were found June 30 in the wreckage of a small plane that crashed the weekend before in rugged terrain in Montana.
One of those who died — Sonny Kless — was the grandnephew of Harry Watt of Meeker.
“That was my older sister’s grandson,” Watt said Friday, while traveling to Montana for a celebration of life service Saturday in Columbia Falls, Mont.
Kless, 25, was recently graduated from the University of Montana. He had piloted the rental plane, which was on a sightseeing trip. All of those who died were in their 20s.
“He’d been flying for about a year,” Watt said. “Last year, when we had a family reunion in Sun Valley, he flew there. I think he was a pretty good pilot. But something happened. Whether they hit a downdraft or made an error in judgment, we’ll never know.”
According to news reports, authorities speculated the plane was flying too low and didn’t make it over the higher terrain. The aircraft was found near Moiese, Mont.
“They found them in a canyon,” Watt said. “They said all four of them were still in the cockpit. They’re pretty sure they all died on impact.”