Civil Air Patrol Searching For Missing Plane

LITTLE ROCK (AP) _ The search resumed Monday for a small airplane that left Big Cedar in southeastern Oklahoma on Friday apparently headed for Mena, Arkansas. Civil Air Patrol officials say they sent

Monday, July 23rd 2007, 8:28 am

By: News On 6

LITTLE ROCK (AP) _ The search resumed Monday for a small airplane that left Big Cedar in southeastern Oklahoma on Friday apparently headed for Mena, Arkansas. Civil Air Patrol officials say they sent five airplanes into the air in a search for the plane and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol is searching in eastern Oklahoma near the Arkansas state line.

Officials say there was one person aboard the plane and he's identified by Oklahoma Highway Patrol Captain Chris West as Curtis Hazen. Hazen's hometown and age were not known.

The Civil Air Patrol was activated by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center on Saturday to help with the search.

Officials say ground search teams from Fort Smith, Little Rock, Russellville and Hot Springs plan to follow up on reported sightings.

West says a valley where searchers are focusing their efforts is about three-quarters of a mile wide and has steep mountains on both sides making it difficult to get into on foot.