Authorities Stop Lost Plane Search

Tuesday, January 16th 2001, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

YARMOUTH, Mass. (AP) â€” Poor visibility on Tuesday delayed a search for a small plane that zigzagged across Cape Cod at low altitude and clipped power lines before disappearing from radar.

The pilot, who suffered from leukemia, was believed to have been alone in the single-engine Piper 22, authorities said. The pilot apparently became disoriented, the Coast Guard said in a statement Tuesday.

The plane took off from Norwood Airport south of Boston on Monday afternoon. The weather was very foggy and police said the pilot had been told not to take off.

Poor visibility curtailed a search Monday evening and again Tuesday. ``Everybody's fogged in at this point,'' said Air Force Senior Master Sgt. Kevin Walston.

The aircraft was believed headed southwest to Quonset, R.I. Instead, it turned up over Cape Cod, southeast of the airport. The pilot flew as low as 50 feet and at one point clipped utility lines, knocking out power to Falmouth, said Falmouth Police Officer Ronald Savioli.

Coast Guard Lt. James Rush would not identify the pilot, but did say the person suffered from leukemia.

The aircraft was carrying fuel for about five hours. Because of its low flying altitude it was intermittently detected on radar until its last sighting at about 7 p.m., said Coast Guard Lt. James Rush.

Walston said radar data would be reviewed in an effort to determine where the plane, which was at times over water and at other times over land, was at that point.