In a tragic mishap cutting through the tranquility of the Gifford Pinchot National Forest, one person was rescued while another was confirmed deceased following an afternoon search for a crashed airplane, according to an account by the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT). The incident, which occurred Friday, involved a 1943 Stearman Kaydet aircraft that was expected to land in Hood River, Oregon, but never completed its journey.
The plane, participating in a three-aircraft formation, had been en route to a fly-in event in Hood River, it took off from the Enumclaw area and after a brief stop at the South Lewis County airport, it continued its passage towards the Columbia River Gorge before vanishing from its companions' sight. Washington State Department of Transportation Air Search and Rescue was alerted at 3:05 p.m. that the aircraft had not arrived as anticipated, with the other pilots reporting the plane as overdue approximately an hour and a half later. Utilizing cell phone and radar forensics, authorities pinpointed the end of the plane's flight path to be roughly 12 miles northwest of Stevenson as of 12:59 p.m. that same day.
A combined force of a Coast Guard helicopter and crew from Astoria, along with ground search teams from Skamania County, mobilized to scour the area, eventually pinpointing the site at 6:20 p.m nestled amongst the towering trees of the national forest. The rescue effort saw the survivor transferred to the Portland International Airport to meet with emergency services while the other occupant was found lifeless within the wreckage.
The identities of those aboard the ill-fated aircraft are yet to be disclosed. The coordination of aerial search and rescue duties, as mandated by statute (RCW 47.68.380), falls under the purview of WSDOT, which has now concluded its role in the mission. Further information pertaining to the crash will be forthcoming from the Skamania County Sheriff’s Office, with media inquiries directed to Sergeant Ryan Taylor at 509-427-9490, while ongoing investigation queries are to be channeled to the National Transportation Safety Board.
