A stretch of backcountry near North Lake Tahoe is now closed off as investigators work to piece together what led to a deadly plane crash.
The NTSB and FAA are investigating after a Beech A36 plane went down Sunday evening while heading to Truckee Tahoe Airport.
The Placer County Sheriff’s Office says the aircraft crashed southwest of the valley around 5:30 p.m.
At the same time the plane disappeared from radar, the county’s dispatch center received an Apple crash alert in the same area.
Deputies launched an aerial search and later found the plane with one person dead inside.
The unidentified pilot is believed to be the only person aboard.
Following the crash, officials with Tahoe National Forest closed the Five Lakes area within the Granite Chief Wilderness for public safety.
The closure includes National Forest lands and trails surrounding the crash site and is set to remain in place through April 7, though it could end sooner if conditions improve.
Officials say the closure is due to unknown hazards from the wreckage and to allow investigators to complete their work, with the National Transportation Safety Board leading the investigation.
The restricted area includes a half-mile radius from the crash site northeast of Five Lakes, along with part of the Five Lakes Trail from the trailhead west to the western junction with Forest Trail 16E27.  The full Tahoe National Forest Five Lakes Closure order, including a map detailing the closure area, can be found here:Â
People are not allowed to enter the closed area during this time.
