CA: Wreckage of missing plane found ; pilot dead

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Wreckage of missing plane found

ASSOCIATED PRESS

March 11, 2000

PRIMM, Nev. -- The wreckage of a plane that disappeared Monday during a flight from North Las Vegas to Chino, Calif., has been found in a remote area. The pilot was dead.

The pilot, whose name was not released, was returning home to Chino after flying advertising banners in the Las Vegas area last weekend, the Nevada Civil Air Patrol said. The man took off Monday afternoon from the North Las Vegas Airport in his PA-12 Piper aircraft. His last radio broadcast was made as he flew near Jean, about 30 miles south of Las Vegas, and he did not indicate he had any kind of emergency, said Sam Sottosanti of the air patrol.

The patrol initiated a search Tuesday morning. Eight Nevada volunteer pilots searched from Las Vegas to Baker, Calif., while other California volunteers covered the area from Baker to Chino.

The San Bernardino County, Calif., sheriff's office joined the search Thursday and found the wrecked plane late Friday afternoon near the area where the pilot last had radio contact.

"It's a big area full of nothing," said Deputy Abe Leal. "Our helicopters can only cover so many patterns before they have to refuel."

http://www.uniontrib.com/news/state/20000311-991450-planefound.html

-- Carl Jenkins (Somewherepress@aol.com), March 12, 2000


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