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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Our View: Clean fuels debate creates odd bedfellows ... Ordinance would set standards for private fire companies in Josephine County ... Waterfowlers see 18th straight maximum duck season ... Our View: Clean fuels debate creates odd bedfellows ... Ordinance would set standards for private fire companies in Josephine County ... Waterfowlers see 18th straight maximum duck season ... WILLAMETTE VALLEY Search for missing plane, pilot in Oregon enters third day Comment By The Associated Press MailTribune.com By The Associated Press Posted Apr. 23, 2015 at 5:30 PM By The Associated Press Posted Apr. 23, 2015 at 5:30 PM » Social News PORTLAND — A search for an airplane and pilot missing on a flight through the Willamette Valley has gone into a third day. The single-engine plane took off Tuesday evening from Hobby Field at Creswell, south of Eugene, with only a pilot onboard and disappeared from radar about 15 minutes later, authorities said Thursday. Authorities on Thursday identified the pilot as 41-year-old Lee Leslie. He was headed to Pearson Field in Vancouver. The Civil Air Patrol said it has been sending up airplanes with trained spotters, looking for clipped trees or other indications of a crash. There's no indication of foul play or anything other than a routine flight, she said. Searchers say they have a challenging task, The Oregonian reported. Although the flight would have been largely over inhabited or agricultural land, the valley has a number of hilly and forested areas that could conceal a plane, said Lt. Col. Ira Rosenberg of the Oregon Civil Air Patrol. If the plane crashed, enough time has passed for it to cool, rendering heat-detection equipment ineffective. That equipment isn't sensitive enough to pick up a person's warmth from the height at which rescuers must fly. Light planes like the Piper PA-28 Cherokee have transmitters that activate on impact, but rescuers haven't received any transmissions. A ground search is premature, because the plane easily could have veered off its course, leaving teams with too wide an area to comb, said Ted Tanory, vice commander of the Civil Air Patrol. "It's just a guesstimate," Tanory said. "He may very well have descended to an elevation where they have no radar coverage and flown on." Tanory described the circumstances as highly unusual but not unprecedented. In 2007, a retired airline pilot disappeared after taking off from Aurora State Airport south of Portland. He was never found. By The Associated Press MailTribune.com By The Associated Press Posted Apr. 23, 2015 at 5:30 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501