Authorities Search For Possible Downed Aircraft
Thursday, Jan 7, 2010 | Updated 2:44 PM PDT
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A search was under way today in Rancho Mirage for a possible downed aircraft.
According to the Riverside County Fire Department, a witness reported seeing a small airplane in distress around 10:30 a.m. over a mountainous area near the Bump-N-Grind Trail, off of Highway 111 and Desert Drive.
“Basically, somebody saw an airplane going behind the mountains and then a puff of dust,” said fire Capt. Lori Windsor.
She said a fire department helicopter crew was scouring the area but had not spotted any signs of a crash, adding that the Palm Springs International Airport did not receive any aircraft distress calls around the time of the report.
Ground crews were joining the search, said Windsor. The Bump-N-Grind Trail leads about 1,000 feet up to a vantage point that overlooks Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert and Palm Springs, according to an on-line hiking guide.
