Body of missing pilot found in wreckage near Puyallup

The wreckage of a single-engine airplane that disappeared more than a week ago was found today in an area near Puyallup that search crews have been focusing on since Monday.

The bodies of pilot Tom Maxwell, 78, of Black Diamond, and his dog were found dead near Pierce County's Thun Field, said Nisha Marvel, of the Washington State Department of Transportation. Maxwell, described as an accomplished pilot, was flying a fully fueled, nearly new Piper Dakota Dec. 6 when he dropped his flight instructor off at Crest Airpark southeast of Kent. He then took off, presumably for the 10-minute flight to Thun Field near Puyallup, where he keeps his plane.

Maxwell's family reported him missing Sunday night.

Crews have been searching for the plane since Monday. On Tuesday, the search was narrowed to a wooded area seven miles southeast of Thun Field.

Marvel said that even though crews had a relatively small area to search they were hampered by weather and "dense tree cover."

Flight instructor Darryl Penney speculated that Maxwell may have suffered a medical emergency while flying. Other theories didn't seem to make sense, he said.

In Black Diamond, where Maxwell has lived for more than 20 years, he and his dachshund were a regular presence at the police department. His weekly visits to bring cookies to city employees have become a tradition, said Black Diamond Police Chief Rick Luther.

Maxwell was an experienced pilot who gave up flying when his wife, Louise, became ill, friends said. She died several years ago and he recently rediscovered his passion for flying and purchased a new airplane, Penney said.

"He was just the neatest guy," said Crest Airpark manager Rikki Birge. "He had a heart of gold."

Although Maxwell's plane was based at Thun Field, he was a regular at Crest Airpark. He would come in to fly, or just to have coffee and talk, said Birge. "Crest [Airpark] becomes a family, and he was part of our family," Birge said.

Information previously reported in The Seattle Times is contained in this report.

Jennifer Sullivan: 206-464-8294 or jensullivan@seattletimes.com