SWEETWATER COUNTY, Wyoming — The Utah Air National Guard is assisting in the search for a missing pilot and aircraft after they didn't arrive at their scheduled location in California. The pilot, who authorities say is a 50-year-old from Green River, and his plane haven't been seen since Tuesday.
Sweetwater County Sheriff's Office officials say that they were alerted to the disappearance on Tuesday at 1:22 p.m. According to investigators, the pilot had departed Southwest Wyoming Regional Airport near Rock Springs but failed to reach its scheduled destination in California.
The Utah Air National Guard at 9:15 p.m. Tuesday joined the search at the request of the Sweetwater County Sheriff's Office. They deployed an Apache helicopter with nighttime search capabilities.
About an hour after they began their search, the flight crew detected a possible area of interest noting a ground disturbance in the search area near Little Mountain which is southwest of Rock Springs.
At 6:00 a.m. Wednesday search and rescue ground crews staged in the area to support the ongoing search. The Wyoming Army National Guard has also deployed a Huey helicopter to the area.
Officials are asking people to refrain from attempting to join the search. They say that the sheriff's office is responsible for ensuring the integrity of the scene for NTSB investigators. Anyone found in the area could face citation, arrest, and prosecution.
