Eatonville pilot hospitalized, passenger dead after airplane crashes heading to Hood River fly-in

A pilot from Eatonville is recovering from his injuries after his plane crashed into the Gifford Pinchot National Forest.

Skamania County Sheriff’s Office identified him as 72-year-old Christopher Paulson from Eatonville.

His passenger, 45-year-old Jed Kelly from Eatonville reportedly died of his injuries as a result of the crash.

The Washington Department of Transportation Air Search and Rescue was notified around 3 p.m. Friday that the aircraft didn’t make it to Hood River, Oregon for a fly-in event.

Air Search and Rescue says two pilots called to report the plane missing. They said the 1943 Stearman Kaydet aircraft, which is a biplane, broke away from their three-plane flying formation and never returned.

Their friends got worried when about two hours after landing, the plane was nowhere to be found.

According to Air Search and Rescue, the aircraft had departed from the Enumclaw area, then stopped at the South Lewis County airport before heading toward the Columbia River Gorge.

Using cellphone data and radar forensics, crews determined that the plane went down about 12 miles northwest of Stevenson.

A rescue helicopter and crew from the United States Coast Guard out of Astoria and ground search and rescue teams from Skamania County worked together to find the crash site.

The aircraft was reportedly discovered at 6:20 p.m. in the high trees of the Gifford Pinchot National Forest.

The Skamania County Sheriff’s Offices says the pilot was hoisted from a ravine by a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter and flown to Portland for medical treatment.

The cause of the crash is under investigation.

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