A portion of North Lake Tahoe has been closed off as investigators work to determine what caused a deadly plane crash Sunday evening.
According to the Placer County Sheriff’s Office, a Beech A36 aircraft went down southwest of the valley around 5:30 p.m. while en route to Truckee Tahoe Airport. Around the same time the plane disappeared from radar, the county’s dispatch center received an Apple crash alert at the same time.
Deputies launched an aerial search and later located the wreckage. One person was found dead inside the craft. Authorities believe the pilot was the only person on board, though the individual’s identity is unknown.
The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the crash, with the NTSB leading the inquiry.
In the aftermath, officials with Tahoe National Forest have closed the Five Lakes area within the Granite Chief Wilderness for public safety. The closure includes surrounding National Forest lands and trails near the crash site.
The restricted zone covers a half-mile radius northeast of Five Lakes, along with a section of the Five Lakes Trail from the trailhead west to its junction with Forest Trail 16E27.
The closure is to remain in place through April 7.
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