STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, CO (WGNS) - Four lives were lost early Friday (2/13/2026) morning when a small plane went down on Emerald Mountain near Steamboat Springs, Colorado, leaving families in Tennessee and beyond grieving an unimaginable loss. Authorities have identified those killed as 46‑year‑old Aaron Stokes; his 21‑year‑old son, Jackson Stokes; their nephew and cousin; 21‑year‑old Colin Stokes; and 37‑year‑old Austin Huskey.

Aaron Stokes was well known in the automotive repair industry, where he built a reputation as a mentor and entrepreneur who poured his energy into helping independent shop owners succeed. His son and nephew were traveling with him, along with Austin Huskey, a building supply owner with ties to Murfreesboro.

Ties to Murfreesboro's Business Community

Huskey served as the CEO and third‑generation owner of Huskey Truss & Building Supply, a family‑owned Franklin headquarted company that was founded in 1945. Huskey Truss & Building Supply has a Murfreesboro facility at 550 S. Rutherford Blvd. Under Austin’s leadership, the Murfreesboro facility recently underwent a major expansion—adding 34,000 square feet of production space, improving office areas, and enlarging the lay‑down yard to keep pace with construction demand across Middle Tennessee.

More About Aircraft and Crash

The aircraft involved was a six‑seat Epic E1000 turboprop, a newer, high‑performance single‑engine model with certified production beginning in the mid‑2020s. Federal records show the plane was registered to A‑L‑S Aviation, a business that was administratively dissolved in August 2025. One confirmed example of the E1000 was built in 2024 and received its airworthiness certificate that same year.

Friday’s crash is the only fatal accident on record involving the Epic E1000.

According to early reports, the aircraft struck Emerald Mountain while approaching Bob Adams Airport in Steamboat Springs. Weather conditions included broken and overcast cloud layers, and the terrain around the airport rises sharply—factors investigators will examine closely. The aircraft was equipped with terrain‑proximity warning systems and synthetic vision technology, but the cause of the crash has not yet been determined.

Both the FAA and NTSB are now investigating, a process that typically takes months. For now, families in Middle Tennessee and Colorado are left mourning four lives cut short in a remote stretch of the Rockies, as the community reflects on the impact that each of these men had on the people around them.