2 bodies found in lake

PROVO — The recovery Monday of two bodies from a plane that crashed Thursday in Utah Lake was bittersweet for friends and family of the three men who were on the plane when it went down.

The body of Blaine Pugmire, 32, Springville, was found about 10:30 a.m. when search crews investigated a petroleum slick about one mile west of the Provo Boat Harbor and Utah Lake State Park. Crews later found the body of passenger Harold "Les" McGuire, 35, of Alpine, less than half a mile away, near the remains of plane's control panel, and pulled it out of the lake at about 9 p.m.

"It's a chance (for) some closure for their families," said Utah County Sheriff's Sgt. Dennis Harris.

Rescue crews flying above the lake Monday morning spotted the greasy residue on the water and sent a side-scan sonar boat to investigate, said Harris.

Crews dispatched to that part of the lake found a plastic bag and other small pieces of debris before the pilot's body floated to the surface.

Pugmire, who would have turned 32 Monday, was flying the single-engine turboprop with passengers McGuire and Ray Hooper, 35, from Mapleton, when it crashed late Thursday night during its final descent to the Provo Municipal Airport, located east of the lake.

Officials don't know exactly what caused the plane to crash, but weather may have been a factor. A storm Thursday night that continued into Friday brought high winds that caused low visibility over the lake.

Search crews made another big find Monday night, however, that will help investigators determine what caused the plane to go down. Shortly after 6 p.m., a sonar boat found what Harris called a "large object," and divers who went to investigate found the plane's engine and the control panel.

The pieces were secured and lifted out of the water by 8 p.m.

"This is a significant find for us," Harris said. "It will be a very big part in helping (investigators) determine what happened."

Harris said it was a long, difficult operation to pull the control panel out without further damaging it, and crews were especially cautious in case the remaining bodies were in the same area.

The focus of Monday's search effort was on recovering the bodies of the plane's passengers. The search team dwindled to about 40 members during the day, but increased during the evening after volunteers got off work.

Crews used every second of daylight Monday, not leaving the lake until well after the sun had set.