BURSTThe wreckage of a small plane that was headed to Grangeville, Idaho, from Penticton, B.C., was found on a remote mountainside after it went missing on Saturday, Oct. 10.
Extensive air resources were deployed throughout Washington State’s Aeneas Valley and Wauconda areas, as well as between Oroville and Okanogan where the plane last registered on radar, with cell phone forensics helping to identify more specific search areas.
The plane was described as a 1976 Piper Cub, a small single-engine propeller plane, piloted by 61-year-old Nicholas Grachanin and with passenger Jim Merik onboard.
According to the Okanogan County Sheriff’s Office, the wreckage was discovered in the afternoon of Sunday, Oct. 11, with members of the sheriff’s office assisting in recovering the bodies of the pilot and passenger.
“The Okanogan County Sheriff’s Office extends its deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of both men during this difficult time,” the office said in a post to social media. “We also express our sincere gratitude to the air support personnel from the state and neighbouring counties who assisted in the search and recovery efforts.”
The sheriff’s office was contacted by the pilot’s daughter after the plane went missing and the pilot lost communication with the Seattle Centre air traffic control, according to a release from the Washington State Department of Transportation.
In addition to the sheriff’s office, the Washington State Department of Transportation’s Air Search & Rescue, Civil Air Patrol, Okanogan County Emergency Management and other agencies supported the search.
The Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation provided ground search resources as well.
“On behalf of the search and rescue team, WSDOT extends our sincere condolences to the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives,” said WSDOT Air Search and Rescue coordinator and incident commander Tom Peterson.
The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board of the U.S. have since arrived to investigate.
According to the sheriff’s office, the wreckage is located in remote area with steep terrain and difficult access.