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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Pilot Dies In Crash On Mount Spokane

A twin-engine plane crashed Wednesday night on Mount Spokane, killing the pilot, authorities said.

After several hours of combing the rugged, fog-shrouded terrain, searchers found the man’s body shortly after 10 p.m.

Just as two sheriff’s deputies and a park ranger reached the body, the weather suddenly turned bitter, with snow and heavy winds.

“With the fog and deteriorating conditions, it was probably lucky we found him so fast,” said Sheriff’s Lt. David Wiyrick.

The six-seat, white-and-blue Cessna 340 left Spokane International Airport bound for Sandpoint shortly after dark, authorities said.

There were no passengers, the Spokane County sheriff’s office said.

The cause of the crash was not immediately known, but authorities suspect the biggest factor was poor visibility.

When the plane slammed into the west side of the mountain at about 6:15 p.m., heavy fog blanketed the 5,878-foot peak about 25 miles northeast of Spokane.

The pilot was not immediately identified. He was described by authorities as a 52-year-old white male.

Federal Aviation Administration investigators were expected to be at the crash site this morning.

The search team began its efforts in a four-wheel-drive truck, but was blocked by a fallen tree. The searchers used a chain saw to clear the tree.

A short distance later, they spotted the severed tail section of the plane, about 70 yards below the road.

Wreckage was scattered over a 300-yard area, searchers said.

“The tail section is the only thing intact. Everything else is in six-inch pieces,” said Sheriff’s Sgt. Jim Finke.

More than 50 people showed up to assist, including members of the Civil Air Patrol, volunteer firefighters and three Spokane Valley residents who heard a news report about the crash.

Deputies feared as many as four people were aboard the plane, based on a flight plan filed with the FAA that proved to be incorrect.

The pilot flew to Spokane from Yakima, where the plane is based, according to airport officials.

He arrived at about 3 p.m. and waited for a passenger who did not show up. After discovering that his passenger was in Sandpoint, the pilot took off again and headed northeast.

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