NEWS

Iowa plane crash victims were headed to Nashville for New Year's, family says

Charly Haley
chaley@dmreg.com

Amber Linder received a video message from her brother-in-law on New Year's Eve, showing that he and three other Iowans were flying through stormy weather on their way to Nashville to celebrate the new year.

It's the last she heard from him, as the plane crashed reportedly about 10 minutes later at about 5:45 p.m., Linder said.

The crash killed pilot Curt Terpstra, 34, of Pella, and passengers Jordan Linder, 35, of Keswick, Jasmine Linder, 26, of Barnes City, and Krista Green, 37, of Altoona. The Linders were siblings.

Iowans Jasmine Linder and Curt Terpstra, who both died in a plane crash on Dec. 31, 2016.

Family members of the Linders and Terpstra said Tuesday that they're devastated by the crash, and they're still waiting for answers. A National Transportation Safety Board official said a report on the crash investigation should be complete in seven to 10 days.

Based on the video that Jordan Linder sent to his sister-in-law, family members believe the weather contributed to the crash.

"(The video) was completely black. All I could see was lightning," said Amber Linder, who is also Jasmine's sister-in-law.

Amber said she wishes she knew what her brother-in-law was feeling when he sent the video. Both he and Jasmine were very adventurous, optimistic people, Linder said, so she assumes they would find the situation thrilling, not scary — but it bothers her that there's no way of knowing.

A small plane that crashed in southern Illinois Saturday, killing four people, was owned by a Pella man.

"They were both very, very positive. They always looked at the good," she said.

Curt Terpstra was an experienced pilot, who had flown to Nashville from Iowa before, said his sister-in-law, Lauren Terpstra. Federal Aviation Administration records online confirm he was a certified pilot.

"Anyone in our family would have flown anywhere with him," Lauren Terpstra said.

Curt Terpstra, who grew up on his family's farm in New Sharon, was very close with his family, his sister-in-law said. Her husband, Chip, and Curt operated two businesses together out of their homes: Terpstra Masonry and C&C Aerial Applicators. Curt was the crop-dusting pilot for C&C Aerial Applicators, she said.

The brothers also spent a lot of time together outside of work, and Curt loved to spend time with Lauren and Chip's children, Lauren Terpstra said. Curt also enjoyed hunting and fishing, she said.

Curt Terpstra, right, of Pella, and his brother, Chip. Curt Terpstra died in a plane crash Dec. 31, 2016.

"We're just at a loss," Lauren Terpstra said. "We don't know how we're going to go on without him. ... He was just an amazing man who would do anything for his family and friends, and he will be extremely missed."

This is not the first tragedy for the Linder family. About 12 years ago, the Linders' mother died in a car accident, Amber Linder said. After the death of her mom, Jasmine Linder spent a lot of time with Amber and her brother, Jesse, Amber's husband.

"Jasmine is almost my other half, too," Amber Linder said. "She's more like a sister, a best friend."

Iowans Jasmine Linder and Curt Terpstra, who both died in a plane crash on Dec. 31, 2016.

Jasmine had become certified in massage therapy about eight months before the accident, and she was recently hired at chiropractic offices in Pella and Oskaloosa, Amber said.

Jordan Linder helped operate a seed and fertilizer business, Tri-County Seed, she said.

Both families are still in shock over the crash.

Before Amber Linder received the video of the storm from Jordan, family members had received a photo at sunset from Jasmine, Lauren Terpstra said. The group had stopped for dinner earlier at a bistro in Hannibal, Mo., on their way to Nashville, she said.

A Snapchat photo of a sunset that Jasmine Linder sent to her friends and family before a plane crash that killed her and three other Iowans on New Year's Eve 2016.

The crash occurred in a heavily wooded area outside Vienna, Ill., which is about 260 miles by road southeast of Hannibal, authorities said. Vienna is about 190 miles by road from Nashville.

"I would have never guessed this would have happened," Amber Linder said.

Funeral arrangements for all of the crash victims are pending, the families said.

The Terpstra family asks anyone who would like to make a memorial contribution to donate to the G2C children's ministry at United Methodist Church in New Sharon, which Curt Terpstra participated in as a child. Donations can be sent to PO Box 70, New Sharon, IA, 50207, with "Terpstra" written as a memo.

Curt Terpstra of Pella, who died in a plane crash Dec. 31, 2016.