Search for missing Lake Roesiger pilot shifts to coast

Published 10:52 pm Thursday, October 14, 2010

OLYMPIA — The search for a missing pilot moved on Wednesday from Snohomish County to the southwest corner of the state.

Search teams received tips that Gordon Last, 51, of Lake Roesiger, may have landed his 63-year-old plane in Westport on Saturday, walked into town and then took off for the northeast, said Nisha Marvel, a state Department of Transportation Aviation Division spokeswoman.

Last reportedly took off from Harvey Field in Snohomish on Saturday afternoon and hasn’t been seen since. Search teams focused on Snohomish County for the first three days. Witness accounts and a radar track led searchers to the area between Shelton and Westport on Wednesday, Marvel said.

The new search area covers about 1,900 square miles, covering Grays Harbor County and parts of Thurston and Lewis counties.

Volunteers were expected to resume the search today and continue through the weekend, as the weather allows, said David Last, the missing pilot’s brother.

Anyone who may have information on the missing plane is asked to e-mail missingaircraft@wsdot.wa.gov or call 360-410-0461.