The search for a missing aircraft has intensified as the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) and various agencies continue to scour the terrain near Ellensburg. The red, white, and blue Cessna 150, which departed Tuesday from Yakima Air Terminal/McAllister Field at 3:43 p.m., was en route to Lake Chelan Airport before family members reported it missing after failing to arrive, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation.
Initial notification of the disappearance was provided by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center through the Washington State Emergency Operations Center to WSDOT, which promptly initiated search operations. A U.S. Army helicopter from the Yakima Training Center was called in to enhance the aerial search efforts, Life Flight Air Ambulance and the Chelan County Sheriff’s Office have joined the mission, as well, as per the WSDOT.
Radar data from the Civil Air Patrol National Radar Forensics Team has traced the missing plane's course toward Ellensburg, thereafter veering northeast. The signal was last detected between Ellensburg and the Columbia River, providing SAR teams with a focus area for their night-long operations.
With the dawn providing improved visibility, search efforts have been ramped up, leveraging the daylight to cover more ground. The State Emergency Operations Center is urging anyone with potential insights regarding the aircraft's whereabouts—particularly those who may have seen or heard it on Tuesday—to come forward with information at 800-258-5990, the WSDOT stated.
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