Recovery operation for missing plane may resume Wednesday

CLEVELAND

The search-and-recovery operation for a plane that went missing over Lake Erie Thursday night may resume today.

This could mark the fifth day that crews scour Lake Erie and its shoreline for hints of the missing Cessna 525 Citation and its six passengers. Some search units on Tuesday had to return due to weather and visibility, the Mayor’s Office of Communications said.

The private plane, piloted by Superior Beverage Group CEO John T. Fleming, disappeared shortly after taking off from Burke Lakefront Airport Thursday night. Also aboard the flight were Fleming’s wife, Suzanne, teenage sons Andrew and Jack, neighbor Brian Casey, and Casey’s 19-year-old daughter, Megan. The University of Wisconsin-Madison issued a statement Monday identifying Megan as a nursing student at the school.

John and Sue Fleming are Mahoning Valley natives. Both graduated from Boardman High School in 1989, and have relatives who still live in the Youngstown area.

Superior Beverage, now based out of Columbus and Glenwillow, was started in the Youngstown area in 1922 by Marion N. Antonucci. The company operated a Victoria Road building in Austintown for many years, but left several years ago.

The Cessna reportedly lost altitude about 2 miles out, then disappeared from radar. The flight reportedly had been heading to Ohio State University Airport after the group attended a Cleveland Cavaliers game Thursday night.

Debris were found near the shoreline east of Burke Lakefront airport, but authorities have not announced if the debris are from the downed plane.

Officials said the area searched on Tuesday was four miles east to west along the shoreline; and two and a half miles north to south, from the shore into the water.

On Tuesday, recovery efforts began at first light. The city reported on its blog that weather conditions allowed for search by water and shoreline, but that a police helicopter was not used. Six sonar-equipped vessels with four dive teams reportedly were out on the water, with a seventh vessel on standby near the shoreline.

The search is being conducted by the Cleveland Division of Fire, U.S. Coast Guard, Underwater Marine Contractors, Cleveland Division of Police, New York State Police, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Akron Fire, Toledo Fire, Brecksville Fire and Cleveland MetroParks Rangers.

Cleveland police are working with the Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board on the investigation.