Oregon Authorities Expand Search for Missing Aircraft‎

The search efforts will continue to focus South of Aurora and will expand during the day to cover any leads that may come in.

Major Jeremy Aldred, Capt. Ted Tanory and Capt. Robert Asher participate in pre-flight briefing by CAP air operations officer Lt. David Ayers prior to launching a search flight. Photo: Oregon CAP

(AURORA, Ore. ) - The Oregon Wing of the U.S. Civil Air Patrol is continuing it's search this morning for a missing Piper Cub single engine aircraft with one person on board that was reported missing by family on Saturday.

The CAP initiated the search Sunday morning at the direction of the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center at Tyndal AFB, FL and Oregon Emergency Management.

Five CAP aircraft and 40 personnel began operations at the CAP Northern Command Center at the Aurora Airportat 10:00 AM Sunday morning.

The mission continues Monday morning with six Oregon CAP aircraft and two additional aircraft and crews from the Washington Wing of the Civil Air Patrol.

The search efforts will continue to focus South of Aurora and will expand during the day to cover any leads that may come in as well as a planned gradual expansion of the search area to a 50-100 mile radius around the Aurora Airport.

The pilot of the Piper Cub, a 68-year-old Portland resident who is a retired airline pilot, was conducting practice flights in his newly acquired aircraft Saturday when he failed to return as planned to the Aurora Airport.

CAP ground teamshave been investigating leads as well as inspecting area airports and private landing strips for the aircraft.

There has been no cell phone or radio communication with the missing pilot and there has been no ELT, emergency locater transmitter that sends a distress homing signal upon activation, signals received.

Anyone who may have seen or heard an aircraft flying especially low or sounding as though it may have been in distress are encouraged to call the CAP command center at (503) 678-1889.