Poor Weather Thwarts Search for Missing Pilot and Aircraft

Date: November 1, 2016

Anchorage, AK - Poor weather conditions again thwarted efforts by a search team to locate a missing pilot and plane in Lake Clark National Park & Preserve yesterday. Search efforts will continue today.

The Alaska Air National Guard had a HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopter in the area for most of the day with a second crew and helicopter conducting an evening search, but -- like each of the past three days -- was unable to reach the area where an emergency locator transmitter beacon indicates the aircraft is located.

David McRae, 55, of Anchorage, was flying from Anchorage to Lake Clark on Friday evening when contact was lost and the ELT was activated. 

The aircraft is believed to be at about the 5,000 foot elevation in a rugged, mountainous location between Merrill Pass and Telaquana Lake.

-- NPS –