Plane crash takes 2 lives in Valley County

VALLEY COUNTY, Idaho (KIFI) – The Idaho Division of Aeronautics alerted the Valley County Sheriff’s office of an overdue aircraft June 27. A U.S. Forest Service aircraft spotted the single engine green and tan Piper PA-20 on a still hillside approximately 1.6 miles into Valley County just before noon that day. The pilot of the forest service plane reported a small fire at the crash scene and didn’t see any survivors.

Rescue crews from the sheriff’s office and Idaho Air National Guard flew to the crash site June 8. They were assisted by a hoist equipped Blackhawk helicopter.

We are told crews retrieved the bodies of the 48-year old pilot and his 16-year old passenger. They were the only occupants. Their names have not been released, although the NTSB says the plane was registered in Florida.

The plane was reported to arrive at Johnson Creek Airstrip the evening of June 26.  Dispatch was informed that the missing aircraft took-off from the Lower Loon Airstrip, in Lemhi County, June 26 at or near 8 p.m., enroute to Johnson Creek Airstrip.

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the cause. A preliminary report is expected in the next few weeks.