Officials Confirm Accident Claimed The Life Of The Pilot

An experimental RV-6 missing since Wednesday after departing the Truckee-Tahoe Airport in northwestern California was found Saturday in a heavily wooded area near Sierraville.

According to the Truckee Times, the aircraft was spotted by Civil Air Patrol members on Saturday morning and a person from the Sierra County's Sheriff's Office hiked into the wooded area after being dropped off close to the wreckage site by a California Highway Patrol helicopter.

Upon reaching the site, crews found the body of pilot Clayton Beck, 37, in the remains of the aircraft.

Beck left Truckee-Tahoe Airport on Wednesday at approximately 1240 local time for a short flight in his single-engine, two-seat RV-6 aircraft, to check mechanical issues with the aircraft according to Nevada County Sheriff's Sgt. Jeff Pettitt. Beck was reported missing that night by his wife, Lisa, after he did not arrive at an afternoon meeting in Reno .

Beck recently retired as head coach of the Alpine Meadows freestyle ski program, where he coached several Olympic athletes. His wife was expecting their second son at the time.

The National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration are investigating the cause.

FMI: www.faa.gov