Search for small plane missing near US airport

DURHAM (North Carolina): Operations were temporarily halted at a busy North Carolina airport after it lost radar contact with an approaching small plane, launching a search around a densely forested state park nearby.

A statement posted on the Raleigh-Durham International Airport website said air traffic controllers notified the airport that a small aircraft was lost on radar about 7.25pm on Sunday as it approached the airport.

The statement added that airport firefighting units were immediately dispatched to the vicinity of William B. Umstead State Park, not far from the airport.

The Federal Aviation Administration issued a brief statement saying the aircraft lost from radar contact was a Piper PA32.

The FAA website said the single-engine plane typically has around six seats.

The FAA statement said the aircraft was approaching Runway 32, the smallest of three landing strips and perpendicular to what the airport considers its primary runway.

Air operations were halted for about 20 minutes as rescue units rushed to the area, airport spokeswoman Crystal Feldman said.

“During that time we had our fire units responding to the incident, which allowed no planes to take off or land on our runway,” she said.

“For about 20 minutes we had everything halted around the airport.”

Feldman added that a highway patrol helicopter flying over the state park was scanning for heat signatures on the ground.

She said the dense forest of the park, combined with the darkness, could slow the search. — AP