Crews searching Colville/Stevens County area for missing pilot, plane

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COLVILLE, Wash. – Authorities and officials are searching for a plane and pilot who have been missing since Monday afternoon.

The Washington State Department of Transportation says crews are searching in the Colville/Stevens County area after the pilot and sole occupant of the small, private plane left the Colville Municipal Airport around 12 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 11.

The pilot, a 67-year-old Colville man, had planned to fly in the area for about an hour before returning to Colville. His family reached out to authorities when he didn’t return as scheduled.

No emergency beacons or other distress signals have been recorded in the area. A Spokane County Sheriff’s Office helicopter has searched the area twice overnight, but hasn’t located any signs of the plane.

WSDOT Aviation Search and Rescue is leading the search effort and coordinating with law enforcement. The man had last been seen flying his personal Cessna 182 Skyline on Monday.