Date:
Thursday, February 23, 2006
Contact:
Nisha Hanchinamani,
Public Information Officer, 360.651.6310
The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) Aviation reports that ground searchers have located the wreckage of a Cessna 182 aircraft missing since 8:45 p.m. yesterday. The two men aboard the aircraft were confirmed deceased at the scene.
The wreckage was found today at approximately 12 p.m. near Satus Pass, about 13 miles north of Goldendale. Searchers pinpointed this area using radar data and the signal from an emergency beacon.
The Cessna 182 aircraft departed from Ellensburg around 8 p.m. yesterday and was en route to Portland International Airport. Radar controllers reported losing contact with the aircraft at 8:45 p.m.
About 40 searchers based out of McAllister Field in Yakima contributed to the search effort. Searchers included members from WSDOT, Klickitat County, Yakima County, Washington Air Search and Rescue and the Civil Air Patrol.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are investigating the cause of the crash.
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