Albuquerque pilot, girlfriend on board missing plane

An Albuquerque pilot and his girlfriend, a teacher, were on board a single-engine plane reported missing Monday, according to a family friend.

New Mexico State Police confirmed Howard Guthrie and Melissa Watson took off from the Moriarty Airport en route to Pagosa Springs, Colorado, on Friday. The plane was scheduled to land in Pagosa Springs at 5 p.m. Friday and return this past weekend, however, officials say the plane never made it to Pagosa Springs.

“We think that they’re out there somewhere and need help,” said long-time friend, Matthew Pena.

Civil Air Patrol officials told KOB the pilot was advised of poor weather conditions in the area at the time.

On Tuesday, the Archuleta County Sheriff’s Office said the plane’s flight path came to an end just west of Buckles Lake in the San Juan National Forest. The county assembled three ground rescue teams to search the area near the plane’s last GPS reading. Three aircrafts will also patrol the area, rotating every hour.

Officials said fresh snow from the weekend could be covering the plane if it went down.

At this time, the sheriff’s office says there is no confirmation that the plane crashed.

Guthrie is the registered owner of the single-engine Mooney M20 plane, according to Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board records.

Watson is a teacher at Valle Vista Elementary School in Albuquerque. Her young son also attends the school.

“The fact that neither one of them has contacted family or friends in four days is very alarming,” said Pena. “Something is definitely wrong because she’s a great mother and great teacher and she would contact her place of employment and her son for sure.”

The search will continue until dark Tuesday and will begin again Wednesday morning.

This is a developing news story; stay tuned to KOB.com and KOB Eyewitness News 4 for the latest details.

A family friend has set up a GoFundMe account where you can donate online.To visit the GoFundMe page: Click Here

Editor’s note: An earlier version of this story stated that the pilot was from Rio Rancho based on the plane’s registration. The pilot is from Albuquerque.

-With Elizabeth Reed; originally published at KOB.com