No survivors in Northern Door plane crash

UPDATE:  Authorities say there were no survivors after a small plane crashed in Peninsula State Park on Sunday night.

The plane was found off Highland Road, north of the golf course maintenance building, just before 10 p.m. after more than an hour of intense searching by northern Door County police and fire personnel.

"At 8:38 p.m. the Door County Sheriff's office received a phone call of a plane circling southwest of Ephraim. The caller reported hearing a crash," Chief Deputy Pat McCarty said late Sunday night. "A land and sea search commenced. At (9:55 p.m.) a crash scene was located in Peninsula State Park."

The Federal Aviation Administration has been notified and was en route to the scene, McCarty said. "There are no survivors." 

McCarty said the department for now was not releasing the number of people in the plane, which was located in wooded area.

He did not know who located the plane.

The search lasted about an hour and 20 minutes and involved personnel, equipment and boats from Egg Harbor, Gibraltar, Baileys Harbor, Ephraim and Sister Bay/Liberty Grove fire departments, the Eagle III rescue helicopter, Door County Emergency Medical Services and the Sheriff's Department. The U.S. Coast Guard was also notified. 

Where the plane was coming from and where it was going remain under investigation, McCarty said. 

Earlier update

A small plane crashed near the Peninsula State Park golf course Sunday night. The burning wreckage was located shortly before 10 p.m.

The plane was found after about an hour of intense searching by northern Door County police and fire personnel.

Reports indicated the plane, which apparently left Green Bay earlier Sunday night on its way to the Ephraim-Gibraltar Airport, was located north of the golf course maintenance building.

There was no immediate word about the person or persons on board.

Earlier story

Northern Door County police and fire personnel were combing an area near the Ephraim-Gibraltar Airport for a small airplane that may have gone down Sunday night.

"(They're searching for a) plane that might have potentially crashed, but we haven't found it yet," Door County Sheriff Steve Delarwelle said shortly after 9:30 p.m.

A hotel resident reported hearing a plane's engine cut out and then a crash, Delarwelle said.

The Eagle III medical helicopter was coming to the area to aid with the search, and the U.S. Coast Guard was also getting involved along with the Sheriff's Department and firefighters from all northern Door County departments. 

The search initially was focused along the Green Bay shore from Egg Harbor to Fish Creek, then was expanded to a land search.

Story developing ...

-svhernande@doorcountyadvocate.com and wbluhm@doorcountyadvocate.com