Search Under Way For Missing Plane

Valley County authorities and others spent Monday looking for an airplane which may have crashed south of the Big Creek area of the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness.

Valley County Sheriff Lewis Pratt said half a dozen airplanes and a helicopter were flying over the rugged country, searching for a Cessna.

The airplane reportedly was piloted by Marvin Gregersen, who was accompanied by Howard Manly, both of Boise, Pratt said. Manly was believed to have closed up the Big Creek lodge for the winter before the flight.

Another passenger may have been on the plane.

“We officially were told two,” Pratt said after talking with federal aviation officers. “I don’t know about a third one.”

The flight apparently started Saturday morning.

“They were supposed to come into Cascade and on into Boise,” Pratt said. “We had a witness in Yellow Pine who said it was foggy, but they did see an airplane trying to get its bearings. It then headed off in an easterly direction.”

The Civil Air Patrol and family were conducting fly-overs on Monday, Pratt said. About 18 inches of snow had fallen on the area above 8,000 feet, he said.

“We have a ground search by a deputy,” Pratt said. “He’s trying to get around in that snow and it’s not too easy to reach all those side canyons.”