3 Clovis girls reported killed in plane crash | ABC30 Fresno

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By ABC30

Monday, May 25, 2009

Fresno, CA Three sisters from Clovis died after the plane their dad was flying crashed in Nevada. Friday night's plane crash has stunned people throughout Clovis.

Family and friends say Kaitlin, Rachel and Mackenzie Hook were very close to each other, and their father, who would fly to Fresno twice a month to see them.

A decorated navy pilot, Luther Hook the third flew to Fresno Friday afternoon, to take his three daughters home to Fallon, Nevada for the weekend.

But less than a mile from the Fallon Municipal Airport, the privately-owned cessna twin engine plane crashed for an unknown reason, killing Hook, 15-year-old Kaitlyn, 12-year-old Rachel and 9-year old Mackenzie.

"They were the three most beautiful girls, they were good girls, they never talked bad about anybody" Jocelyn Castillo is Luther Hook's step-daughter and the girl's half-sister, one of five sisters in the family.

She said Luther, the executive officer at the naval air station in fallon, was kindhearted. Mackenzie was a fourth grader at Clovis Elementary, who liked to ride bikes and play with her friends.

Rachel, a seventh grader at Clark Intermediate, loved to sing. And Kaitlyn, who was just finishing her freshman year at Clovis High School, was a talented soccer player, who wanted to be a lawyer.

"We're just trying to stay by each others side. Me, my mom, my sister, that's all we have now." "There's obviously a lot of tears right now, but you just take it minute by minute."

Patrick Doles, the girls' step-father, saw the girls just before they left Friday afternoon. "They all gave me a hug good bye and I was chapped off about something so I sorta regret not hugging them more."

As family and friends grieve, they're waiting to find out why the crash happened. And though nothing will replace their loss, they hope others will take something valuable away from it.

"I just hope that this brings people closer to their families. You never know what's going to happen, you never know when somebody's going to be taken from you."

Starting Tuesday, grief counselors will be at each of the girls' schools, the family is waiting for officials to investigate the crash before they start making funeral arrangements.