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VALLEY COUNTY, Idaho — A plane that disappeared in Idaho while carrying five people was located Friday. There were no survivors, according to officials from the Valley County Sheriff's Office.
The BE-36 Beech Bonanza was flying from eastern Oregon to Montana on Dec. 1 when air traffic controllers lost sight of the plane on their radar. The plane was about 50 miles northwest of Cascade, Idaho, when they lost contact.
The five people on the plane were traveling back from Baker City, Ore. after Thanksgiving. Passengers included the pilot and owner Dale Smith, his son, Daniel Smith, and his wife, Sheree Chalmers Smith, plus his daughter Amber and her fiance Jonathon Norton.
Brad Norton, Jonathon Norton's uncle, said family members don't know much about the crash yet, but they understand ice may have played a role, causing engine problems.
However, based on what was found at the site, Brad Norton said, "We're confident that they did not suffer … that they would have died on impact."
Amber Smith and Jonathon Norton were students studying at BYU-Idaho, and Norton's grandparents live in Ogden. The couple were scheduled to be married on Jan. 4.
After Valley County Sheriff's officials suspended search efforts on Dec. 14 due to weather conditions and no new leads, family members continued the search with the help of a private firm.
"It just so happened today was the last day of the search for the foreseeable future, probably until spring," Brad Norton said.
News the plane had been found, he said, brought a "great sense of peace and even comfort."
During the search for their loved ones, Brad Norton said his family felt the prayers and support of friends, family and strangers alike.
"There's a deep sense of gratitude and appreciation for so many people that we don't know," he said, "thousands of people spending countless hours searching the satellite images, which ultimately helped lead to the discovery of the aircraft."
Contributing: Paul Nelson
