Sheriff: Recovery mission after plane crash 'extremely difficult'

APACHE JUNCTION, AZ - Choppers flew several times to and from the Superstition Mountains carrying the remains of the people killed in Wednesday's plane crash .

The plane lifted off from Falcon Field at 6:15 p.m. and then crashed into the mountain around 6:30 p.m. Wednesday just east of Phoenix.

"No one could survive that crash," said Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu.

Three children and three adults were onboard when the plane hit the very crest of Flat Iron Mountain, Babeu said.

"The debris was scattered not only due to the crash but the manner of the explosion," he said.

Babeu said the recovery mission was challenging, both physically and emotionally. 

"Extremely difficult," he said. "For many people it's their first time that they have had to do something such as this."

After federal investigators arrived on the scene, 10 to 15 deputies remained at the top of the mountain.

Throughout the process, more than 40 volunteers from the specially trained search and rescue posse were there to help.

The very jagged and rugged mountain made it almost impossible for crews to do their jobs.

"We have had all of our own deputies and search and rescue actually repel to certain areas of the crevices," Babeu said.

With the help of a helicopter, crews were able to get to the top of the mountain with a mission to remove the remains of those killed, while making sure the evidence stayed intact.

"There [are] not large enough items to tie down and that give us a sense of the magnitude of the explosion," Babeu said.