BOISE, IDAHO – The wreckage of a Beechcraft Bonanza flown by Dale Smith, 51, of San Jose, Calif., and carrying five people, including Jonathan Norton of Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, was found January 10, 2014 by a private search team. There were no survivors, the aircraft burned, and bad weather prevented the immediate recovery of the bodies. Also onboard the aircraft was Smith’s son, Daniel Smith, and his wife, Sheree Smith; and daughter Amber Smith, who was engaged to Norton.
The flight originated from eastern Oregon and was en route to Montana when Smith reported engine problems and requested assistance from air traffic control to an alternate airport. The aircraft was lost 150 miles northeast of Boise in mountainous terrain.
The official search for the aircraft was called off two weeks after it was lost, but family, friends and volunteers did not give up. Eventually, one of the search pilots reported seeing metal reflecting, which led to an online analysis of satellite images of the terrain until the wreckage was found. Deep snow hampered the search.
Smith, an executive and co-founder of San Jose-based SerialTek, obtained his pilot certificate in 2005.
