Husband And Wife Were On Aerial Tour

Search crews in Costa Rica located the wreckage Tuesday of a Beechcraft Bonanza that went down Sunday in the vicinity of Irazu volcano, east of San Jose. The bodies of the husband and wife who were flying as part of a 19-plane tour throughout Central America were also found.

Des Moines, IA residents Conrad "Wes" Randell, 69, his wife Nancy, 68, were flying their 1952 V-tail Bonanza D-35 (file photo of type, below right) on an aerial tour throughout Central America sponsored by Baja Bush Pilots when their aircraft went down. Witnesses reported seeing a small plane flying low over the city of Cartego, near the volcano, before it went down.

Friends and relatives told the Des Moines Register the two had been planning the tour -- their first -- for months.

"They were counting the days, especially Wes," said neighbor Marsha McCulley. "His love of flying was just so strong."

Bad weather had initially prevented crews from finding the wreckage, which was located above the treeline in rugged mountainous terrain, said Red Cross spokesman Manuel Retana.

"The airplane was very broken up," Retana told Reuters.

It is not yet known what factors may have led to the accident. The group was scheduled to stop overnight in Costa Rica, but relatives said bad weather en route from Panama City prompted some pilots to land at other airports.

Conrad Randell had been flying for sixteen years, according to family members, and was said to be an experienced IFR pilot.

A trip report posted on the Baja Bush Pilots website made note of the accident, which occurred near the end of the 11-day tour.

"All on the trip have suffered from this tragedy and we all, over the past several days, have reflected on our relationships with Wes and Nancy," said the report. "We have all taken a deep breath, feel that they both were doing what they loved to do, and it must have been fast, quick, and they were together."

FMI: www.bajabushpilots.com