Search under way near Cascades for missing home-built plane
WENATCHEE, Wash. -- Search crews are scouring the Cascade Mountains from the air in an effort to locate a pilot missing in a home-built airplane.
Ed Jeffko left Tonasket on Monday and was heading for Sequim to pick up a family member. However, family members called for help when Jeffko didn't arrive as scheduled.
Searchers from the state Department of Transportation, the Civil Air Patrol and Washington Air Search and Rescue set up a search base at the Wenatchee Airport. Douglas County emergency officials are supporting aviation crews in Wenatchee.
WSDOT says four planes flew routes for six hours Monday night, starting in Sequim and heading to the Tonasket area, flying late into the night. Planes went up again early Tuesday and are continuing their to search routes the pilot may have taken.
While weather conditions were clear in Eastern Washington on Monday, there was a solid cloud cover in the Cascades. The DOT says clearer skies Tuesday will help in search efforts.
Officials have not located a flight plan or the plane’s emergency beacon.
Ed Jeffko left Tonasket on Monday and was heading for Sequim to pick up a family member. However, family members called for help when Jeffko didn't arrive as scheduled.
Searchers from the state Department of Transportation, the Civil Air Patrol and Washington Air Search and Rescue set up a search base at the Wenatchee Airport. Douglas County emergency officials are supporting aviation crews in Wenatchee.
WSDOT says four planes flew routes for six hours Monday night, starting in Sequim and heading to the Tonasket area, flying late into the night. Planes went up again early Tuesday and are continuing their to search routes the pilot may have taken.
While weather conditions were clear in Eastern Washington on Monday, there was a solid cloud cover in the Cascades. The DOT says clearer skies Tuesday will help in search efforts.
Officials have not located a flight plan or the plane’s emergency beacon.
That's actually a very advanced kit plane there. Looks like it can be a handful to fly in certain situations.
My thoughts are with the family. I hope the pilot is found alive.
Hope they find this pilot OK.Â
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Mountain flying is risky business, even for highly trained and experienced pilots. It doesn't matter whether you're in a 50 year old mass produced aircraft that can barely achieve a 700fpm rate of climb, or an experimental homebuilt that can get 1,400fpm on the same engine in similiar conditions. But, as a pilot and homebuilder, I'd rather have the 1,400fpm.
Self sssembled aircraft over the Cascades? I don't know that no matter how good of a mechanic I was I could do that. Brave soul.
My prayers are with the pilot. Hope he is found safe and sound. Thank goodness for search and rescue.
I hope the pilot is alive and safe somewhere, even if the plane did go down. I have to say though that having flown over the cascades from Seattle to Spokane in the past, it really is a beautiful sight, seeing the mountains and alpine lakes.
Hope they find the pilot okay....................
hmmmm