WASHINGTON COUNTY, Utah, Jan. 5, 2023 (Gephardt Daily) — A report of a pilot who did not land on schedule led investigators to the aviator’s body at the crash site of a small plane near New Harmony.
Authorities learned of the missing pilot when the plane did not arrive in Washington County after leaving St. George Wednesday at about 2:30 p.m. that day.
The aircraft’s last known GPS location was in a remote area just north of New Harmony and south of the Iron/Washington County border, a statement from the Washington County Sheriff says.
“Washington County and Iron County Sheriff deputies and a helicopter with the Department of Public Safety responded and searched the area, but they were unable to locate a crash site.”
On Thursday, deputies, members of the Washington County Search and Rescue Team, and the helicopter with DPS went back out to search the area.
“A crash site was located in the area of the GPS. Local and federal investigators were notified and responded to the scene and a single body was recovered from the crash site.”
The pilot has been identified, the Sheriff’s Department said in an update, but the family has requested no name be released at this point.
The WCSO statement says the agency is “grateful for the successful multi-agency collaboration in locating the crash site and recovering the pilot, including the New Harmony Fire Department for providing the fire station to host the command center for this operation.”
Gephardt Daily will have more information as details are revealed.
