Small plane heading for Salt Lake City goes missing near Elko

Officials were notified Thursday night that the airplane may have gone missing in their jurisdiction, specifically in the Ruby Valley mountain range. Photo Courtesy: Google Maps

ELKO, Nev., Jan. 14, 2018 (Gephardt Daily) — Authorities in Elko are searching for a small aircraft that went missing after taking off from California heading to Salt Lake City.

Search and rescue crews and the Civil Air Patrol have both joined the search for a 26-year-old Mississippi man flying the two-engine Piper aircraft , according to Sgt. Nick Czegledi of the Elko County Sheriff’s Office.

The man was flying alone, he added.

Czegledi said officials were notified Thursday night that the airplane may have gone missing in their jurisdiction, specifically in the Ruby Valley mountain range.

He said the search began that night, and has continued each day since.

Authorities thought they had found something in the area during the search on Friday, but it turned out not to be the missing aircraft.

Czegledi said weather may have contributed to the pilot’s failure to arrive in Salt Lake City, as there was heavy wind Thursday night and some potential icing issues on the wing were reported.

The pilot’s identity has not been released.

Gephardt Daily will have more on this developing story as information becomes available.

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