Plane Disappeared Sunday Night Near Rimrock Lake

ANN REALTIME REPORTING 10.08.07 1510 EDT: Search crews are combing the Cascade Mountains in central Washington state for signs of a missing Cessna 208B Caravan... and the pilot and skydivers onboard.

Seattle's KIRO-7 reports the aircraft (photo of missing plane, above) went missing at around 2000 PDT Sunday. A hunter told police he saw a plane flying low, and heard the sounds of a crash in the White Pass area west of Yakima at the same time the plane disappeared from radar.

Washington DOT spokesperson Nisha Marvel says the search area has been narrowed to southwest of Rimrock Lake, based on radar tracking and the witness' report. The agency is coordinating the air search, while Yakima County Search and Rescue officials are handling the ground search.

Crews have not detected a signal from the aircraft's emergency locator transmitter.

The aircraft is owned by Kapowsin Air Sports in Shelton, WA. Business owner Jeff Farrington told KIRO Skydive Snohomish borrowed the plane this weekend to attend the "Caravan Boogie" skydiving event in Star, ID.

Farrington believes 10 people were onboard the plane, although he is not sure of the exact number.

NOTAM 7/9470 is in effect over the search area.

FMI: www.wsdot.wa.gov, www.co.yakima.wa.us/SAR/Yak_Cnty_SAR.html