Colville pilot disappeared on planned one-hour flight
Update: Due to weather and visibility, the aerial search for the missing aircraft has been halted. Transportation officials are instead now coordinating with Stevens and Spokane counties' search and rescue teams for a ground mission. Anyone with information on the aircraft can contact the Stevens County Sheriff's Office at 509-684-2555.
COLVILLE – Teams are searching Stevens County and the surrounding areas for a small airplane that went missing Monday.
According to the state Department of Transportation, a 67-year-old pilot took off in his Cessna 182 Skylane from Colville Municipal Airport about noon Monday for a one-hour flight over the surrounding area.
The plane never returned, officials said, noting the pilot's family contacted authorities about the overdue aircraft.
Neither the pilot's name nor the aircraft's tail number have not been released.
Officials said they have not received any distress or emergency locator beacons.
The Spokane County Sheriff's Office flight crew and the state Aviation Search and Rescue team have been searching for the missing plane.
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