Stolen plane crash-lands in Washington

BONNERS FERRY — A plane which crash-landed in a clear-cut field near Granite Falls, Wash., has been identified as one stolen earlier in the week.

The Cessna 182 was damaged in the crash and the person responsible for taking the plane had fled, according to Rebecca Hover, public information officer for Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office.

The Cessna 182, worth $340,000 belonged to Pat Gardiner of Porthill.   The plane was taken from  its hangar which was broken into early Tuesday morning, despite motion detectors and lights around the hangar.

“We found the plane in a clearing just south-east of Granite Falls in Snohomish County,” said Hover.

Hover said it looked as if it was a hard landing but the crash looked survivable and no evidence of injuries was left behind. 

“We have people checking for evidence of people in the area with injuries but it is possible the person just walked,” said Hover.

Hover said the plane could have crash-landed as early as Tuesday. 

“We contacted the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board and one of these agencies will remove the plane maybe as early as this afternoon,” Hover said.

Snohomish County Sheriff’s Auto-Theft Task Force is heading up the investigation.

According to Boundary County Sheriff Detective Dave McClelland, the plane was spotted by a logger on Thursday, who called a friend who passed along the information to Boundary County officials.

“We called Snohomish County Sheriff after receiving the call and they secured the scene,” said McClelland.

Neither McClelland or Hover gave information as to a possible suspect.

“We can give out very limited information,” said McClelland.  At this point we have some method operations (similar habits) from a suspect but nothing is conclusive.”

The local sheriff's office will continue its investigation of the theft from the airport site while the Snohomish County Sheriff's office will lead the investigation of the crime scene in Washington  

state.