Plane That Took Off From Truckee Long Overdue

TRUCKEE (CBS13/AP) -- Air rescue crews are searching Northern California mountains for a single-engine plane reported missing after it failed to land as scheduled.

The Socata TB-20 with two people aboard left the Truckee-Tahoe Airport near the Nevada border Monday afternoon.

It was expected to land about 180 miles away at the Petaluma Municipal Airport north of San Francisco.

Family members reported the four-seat plane missing and a search was started by the Civil Air Patrol, the all-volunteer civilian auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force.

Lt. Col. Crystal Housman said Wednesday that through radar tracking and cell phone forensics officials have focused the search on a mountainous region about 18 miles northwest of Truckee.

The pilot of the plane has been identified as Brenda Richard, Sierra County officials say. Her husband, Mark Richard, is a passenger on the plane.